Generally speaking, every year before the release of the iPhone, there will be countless leaks revealed in advance, and this year's iPhone 16 is no exception. As early as last year, there were a lot of leaks mentioning that the iPhone 15 Pro was expected to introduce a capacitive design of volume and power buttons (capacitive buttons), but in the end it did not enter the mass production stage. At present, a large amount of information has been exposed, and it is reported that the new iPhone will start with 256G, and all physical buttons on both sides will be canceled.
To be honest, I still prefer physical buttons, such as the mute key, which provides a quick and easy way to operate. Simply swipe the mute key to switch between silent mode and normal mode without having to go to the settings menu.
According to the report, ASE Investment Control Semiconductors won the order, which includes system package (SIP) modules that will be used to integrate capacitive components with two haptic engine motors, one on each side of the iPhone.
Apple will replace the existing physical buttons on both sides of the iPhone 15 with a capacitive version, which will provide haptic feedback to iPhone 16 users. The latter type of button is able to detect pressure and simulate the pressure sensation of a physical button by generating vibrations through a haptic (or Tapti) engine, similar to the pressure-sensitive Home button on models such as the iPhone 7/8/SE2.
In order to better simulate the feedback of the volume button and the power button, the iPhone will add a Taptic Engine motor inside the body. In this way, the "solid state key" can also achieve extremely realistic physical key feedback, so that the user feels as if they are pressing on a physical key.
But don't get too excited
Although the order has been placed, it does not mean that the iPhone 16 will definitely use this technology. History is full of examples of cancellations due to technical problems, such as last year's iPhone 15, the project called "Bongo", which was originally planned to bring us a new experience of solid-state buttons, but was shelved due to technical difficulties.
Traditional mechanical buttons: old friends or new partners?
Despite the constant rumors of capacitive buttons, most sources at the moment point to the possibility that the iPhone 16 models will continue to use the mechanical buttons that we are familiar with. It is even rumored that Apple's iPhone 16 series will also add a Capture button, which is a capacitive touch button that will be placed on the side of the body. Activated by touch, it provides feedback to the user in the form of vibration. The main function of this button is to quickly start video recording, which is similar to the shutter button in a camera, and it is possible to zoom by swiping when taking a photo.
Today's report also mentions that these capacitive modules will enter mass production in the third quarter of this year. It's a very late date in terms of the iPhone production cycle, so it's more likely that this order will be in preparation for next year's iPhone 17 series. But there are always variables, and the unexpected absence of the iPhone 15 Pro's solid-state button, and the unexpected appearance of the iPhone 16 series, will be a matter of hope.
Conclusion: The future or the unknown?
In conclusion, it is still unknown whether the iPhone 16 series will have capacitive buttons. However, as technology enthusiasts, we are always happy to see new technologies tried and broken through. Let's look forward to it and see if Apple can surprise us this time.
Vocabulary analysis
- Capacitive buttons: A button that uses the principle of capacitance to detect the user's touch, which can simulate the feeling of a physical key.
- Taptic Engine: A vibration feedback technology developed by Apple to provide haptic feedback.
- Mechanical buttons: Traditional physical buttons that require the user to physically press.
- System-in-Package (SIP): A technology that packages multiple integrated circuits together to save space and improve performance.
- Mass production: Refers to the stage where a product begins mass production, which usually means that the product is about to be launched.
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