iPhone 15 Pro Action Button is a Horrible Idea

[Mikeske]

I think it is a good idea that it will be a button. One of the crazy things with my wife is she will on occasion (like weekly) is accidentally mute her phone. Since she has a mild dementia as she does not remember doing it and claims I did it when I had not touched her phone except to switch it back and do Apple updates. By making it switch I could make the button the flashlight function and instruct her to just press and hold the button and she will not "accidentally" muted her phone.

I think I used the mute switch maybe once in the past ten years. I never even bother silencing my phone just manually turn the volume and ringer down. It all depends on the person and what they do and do not like.

 

[iBrooklyn]

you will get used to it

 

[gmcoates]

The more I think about it, the Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro is going to make my life much harder

21st century problems, really life will be much harder. A small amount more inconvenient at most. Its just a button on just a small computer.

 

[TheAppleFan2004]

Yes, they removed it entirely after Galaxy S11 I think.

There was no S11, they skipped straight to the S20

 

[ThomasJL]

There's already a camera quick action button on the lock screen... and you can press the volume down button to control the shutter.... so not really that huge of a deal for me.

Exactly.

It's impossible to use a camera without looking at the device, so it's pointless to have a physical button for it instead of just using the GUI camera button on the Lock Screen. A physical switch for the mute function needs to be retained because many people mute their phone while it is out of their sight in a bag or somewhere else where they cannot see it.

 

[Jackbequickly]

The only time this mute switch has been changed on my 14 PM is when i put a case on it and it accidentally mutes my phone. I like the fact you can assign this button to several different functions.

 

[Steve686]

I'm not an Apple Watch Ultra user... but I've read a lot of reviews saying that the Action Button is not that useful there either (and has a lot of false presses)

God knows that mute switch has never ever been pressed accidentally, errrrr falsely.

Glad the damn thing is gone. I can't get my fingers into the side of the cutout on my phone case to ever use it. The action button will make that task much easier as you can hit the center of the button.

It's always the guy who says he's in the meeting with his phone in his pocket that has a big issue. Hmm. You might be the same guy that keeps bringing this dragged out scenario up.

Well, check your phone before you get into the meeting. That's my MO. Problem solved.

 

[Steve686]

Exactly.

It's impossible to use a camera without looking at the device, so it's pointless to have a physical button for it instead of just using the GUI camera button on the Lock Screen. A physical switch for the mute function needs to be retained because many people mute their phone while it is out of their sight in a bag or somewhere else where they cannot see it.

Good thing it isn't a dedicated camera button. You can assign the button, unlike the mute switch.

People that can't see their phones?? Lol. They still have to feel for it, right? So pushing a simple button is no harder than flipping a switch...in most countries. It actually might be easier to do, especially with a case on the phone.

 

[Oridus]

The more I think about it, the Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro is going to make my life much harder -- specifically because it replaces the mute switch which is super important. By being a physical switch, you can just feel if you're on mute without taking your phone out of your pocket. This is something I do daily when in meetings and other scenarios where I don't want my phone to ring. With the Action Button, you have to press and hold but you don't know before if it's already on mute or not. Maybe you can feel with haptics -- don't know. But still you're going to have to press and hold just to find out and undo it if it was already mute.

They should have added the Action Button in addition to the mute switch. There's plenty of room.

(Also never liked the power button moving to the right side. I hit that way too often accidentally. Should be on the top like iPhone 1-5. Then you can stand it on it's side too).

I think your qualms are that of a very small subset of users. Doesn’t make it a horrible design, just not convenient for you. That being said, apple is very clever with haptics. If you’re an Apple Watch user, you’d know this. I can tell the difference between the watch giving me an activity alert, text, hour change, telling me to move, hand washing timer is up, and next turn coming from maps without having to look. Took some time to get used to it, but now it’s second nature.

It’s odd to me how many people want the phones to change, and seemingly get more and more disappointed the longer a design stays the same, yet call any changes bad and horrible when they think it’ll inconvenience them. Manufacturers make phones for the masses… can’t please everyone.

 

[C7 POWER]

There's already a camera quick action button on the lock screen... and you can press the volume down button to control the shutter.... so not really that huge of a deal for me.

Well hell if its not ideal for you, WHAT WAS APPLE THINKING?? LOL

 

[Ryan1524]

Exactly.

It's impossible to use a camera without looking at the device, so it's pointless to have a physical button for it instead of just using the GUI camera button on the Lock Screen. A physical switch for the mute function needs to be retained because many people mute their phone while it is out of their sight in a bag or somewhere else where they cannot see it.

There is a haptic response. You’ll be able to switch without looking.

 

[Deine Mudda]

The more I think about it, the Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro is going to make my life much harder -- specifically because it replaces the mute switch which is super important. By being a physical switch, you can just feel if you're on mute without taking your phone out of your pocket. This is something I do daily when in meetings and other scenarios where I don't want my phone to ring. With the Action Button, you have to press and hold but you don't know before if it's already on mute or not. Maybe you can feel with haptics -- don't know. But still you're going to have to press and hold just to find out and undo it if it was already mute.

They should have added the Action Button in addition to the mute switch. There's plenty of room.

(Also never liked the power button moving to the right side. I hit that way too often accidentally. Should be on the top like iPhone 1-5. Then you can stand it on it's side too).

This is even beyond first world problems. Pathetic.

 

[sunking101]

This is even beyond first world problems. Pathetic.

How would these people cope with a - gulp - Android phone? 🤯
Whaddya mean there's no mute switch? No action button either? A different UI? No iMessage??? Nooooooooooooooooo!

(Walks off into the woods never to be seen again.)

 

[cAPS lOCK]

I agree it's a bad idea. Action button should be separate, not taking the place of the mute switch. You could always visibly see if it were on silent or not. Now you'll have to click and reclick just to confirm it's on mute.

Get ready for more phone rings interrupting movies, meetings, weddings etc.

 

[ShiftHappens]

I think it really depends on your use case... I _always_ have my phone muted (even before I had an Apple Watch) and while I too tend to check the switch in my pocket, it's just to verify I haven't accidentally unmuted it.
So now, after setting the phone on mute, I can use the action button for other stuff and I won't have to check for accidental unmuting again.

 

[Madonepro]

Sure they can. Add it as a separate button. Is a switch too expensive to keep around? Phones are big enough....

Who knows, but it's Apple that design the phone, and we simply buy it, if we like it. If we don't, we won't. I'm pretty sure, that space within the phone is tight, and using it to add, another button, will end up possibly reducing battery size, and then'll be complaints about less battery life. They have no doubt, had great feedback on the action button from users of the AW Ultra, and the added functionality of customising the button has great potential.
I'd like them to remove the camera and light function off of the screen, as I keep flicking them on. Perhaps this will come because of this button.

And here's Marques Brownlee's take on the issue

 

[Madonepro]

I agree it's a bad idea. Action button should be separate, not taking the place of the mute switch. You could always visibly see if it were on silent or not. Now you'll have to click and reclick just to confirm it's on mute.

Get ready for more phone rings interrupting movies, meetings, weddings etc.

How? You just look at the phone, with it's always on display, and see that it is muted.

 

[Madonepro]

I'm a software developer so I always upgrade to make sure my apps run on the latest devices.


I think it's important to have a discussion about a direction Apple is going which may be a mistake. There have been many including:
• Butterfly keyboard
• Touch Bar
• Removable of MagSafe
These are all on the Mac but I don't want bad design to creep into the iPhone.

Then become a shareholder, or go work for them.

 

[PN4]

I wonder if Apple could see and collect data on how often the physical mute switch was actually used (or rather not used). In 2023 - the common socially acceptable practice is to not have your phone make ANY noise in ordinary situations in public spaces or at work. I know I have never purposefully turned my mute switch to unmute though I can see people doing it in their homes if they want to leave their phone on a charger and walk away but still hear a call.

The cool thing about a button is that can also allow focus settings and shortcuts to work with it. Want your ringer to be on when you are at home but not in any public space. Set up a home focus. Want it to only be unmuted when at home AND on a charger, set a shortcut.

 

[Asiatic Black Hebrew]

I agree it's a bad idea. Action button should be separate, not taking the place of the mute switch. You could always visibly see if it were on silent or not. Now you'll have to click and reclick just to confirm it's on mute.

Get ready for more phone rings interrupting movies, meetings, weddings etc.

Or people could just not buy the new phone if they're unhappy with the design. Not trying to be rude here, but people are acting as if they don't have a choice & are being forced to purchase. I'm not for or against the button, but a lot of the scenarios that are being brought up seem way overblown.

 

[Steve686]

I wonder if Apple could see and collect data on how often the physical mute switch was actually used (or rather not used). In 2023 - the common socially acceptable practice is to not have your phone make ANY noise in ordinary situations in public spaces or at work. I know I have never purposefully turned my mute switch to unmute though I can see people doing it in their homes if they want to leave their phone on a charger and walk away but still hear a call.

The cool thing about a button is that can also allow focus settings and shortcuts to work with it. Want your ringer to be on when you are at home but not in any public space. Set up a home focus. Want it to only be unmuted when at home AND on a charger, set a shortcut.

Here’s my data point.

In one year I’ve used it once.

 

[zach-coleman]

Exactly.

It's impossible to use a camera without looking at the device, so it's pointless to have a physical button for it instead of just using the GUI camera button on the Lock Screen. A physical switch for the mute function needs to be retained because many people mute their phone while it is out of their sight in a bag or somewhere else where they cannot see it.

If you’re in an app holding a button is faster than swiping into a screen then hitting camera. I will have mine bound to camera.

 

[zach-coleman]

The cool thing about a button is that can also allow focus settings and shortcuts to work with it. Want your ringer to be on when you are at home but not in any public space. Set up a home focus. Want it to only be unmuted when at home AND on a charger, set a shortcut.

This is exactly what I will be doing, and I have dreamed of this being possible functionality since focus modes were introduced.

 

[sunking101]

This is exactly what I will be doing, and I have dreamed of this being possible functionality since focus modes were introduced.

Dreamed of it lol.

 

[spiderman0616]

Write a whole post about how you fear change without writing a whole post that you fear change.

Edit: Sarcasm aside--it has been a huge hit having it on the Watch Ultra. It will be the same on the phone. Probably time to get used to it and move on.