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Apple Orders Capacitive Button Components Allegedly for iPhone 16

DMG35 said:
Soooooo, you don't think its appropriate to ask for a meaningful innovation 4 years later? I think it is.
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At least Apple doesn't charge its users, after a year, for the new features that have been added..."just because".
Samsung truuuuuuuuuly being the heroes of the common folk, here.
Nobody's forced to purchase a new device each year; the updates aren't meant for people buying a new phone each year.
 
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MacRumors said:


Apple has ordered a large number of capacitative button components from a Taiwan supplier that are allegedly for use in the upcoming iPhone 16 series, claims a new report out of Asia.

unbox-therapy-15-buttons.jpg

Image credit: Unbox Therapy​

According to the Economic Daily News, Advanced Semiconductor Engineering won the order, which is said to include system-in-a-package (SIP) modules that will be used to integrate capcative components with two Taptic Engine motors, one on either side of the iPhone.

The claim in the report is that Apple will replace the existing physical buttons on both sides of the iPhone 15 with capacitive versions that will provide iPhone 16 users with haptic feedback. The latter type of button detects pressure and emulates the press of a physical button via a haptic (or Taptic) engine which generates vibrations.

Apple may well have ordered the buttons in preparation for future production plans, but this does not necessarily mean that they are destined for use in this year's iPhone 16 models.

The earliest known prototypes of the ‌iPhone 16‌ were thought to include haptic power and volume buttons. Project Bongo, as it was known internally, was a redesign of the volume and power buttons on the iPhone 15. However, it was scrapped in 2023 following unresolved technical issues, according to MacRumors' sources. After the cancelation of the Bongo project, Apple moved back to mechanical buttons for the ‌iPhone 16‌.

As a result, most rumors suggest that iPhone 16 models will have all-mechanical buttons, and this includes the rumored addition of a fourth button. According to The Information, Apple will add a new "Capture Button" to all iPhone 16 models, but the button is expected to be mechanical rather than capacitive, and yet it will be able to respond to pressure and touch.

The button will be used for taking photos and videos, and iPhone users will reportedly be able to zoom in and out by swiping left and right on the button, focus with a light press, and activate a recording with a more forceful press.

Today's report claims the capacitive components will enter volume production in the third quarter of this year, which is unusually late in terms of Apple's typical initial iPhone production run, so the order may be for the iPhone 17 lineup rather than this year's upcoming models. That said, as we saw with the ‌iPhone 15‌ series, things can change fairly far into the process, so watch this space.

Article Link: Apple Orders Capacitive Button Components Allegedly for iPhone 16
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The more I read about the 16 I’m glad I skipped the 15.
And feel bad I didn’t keep my 13 and got a 14.

The 16 is shaping up to be what the 15 was for told to be.
 
Hobbes42 said:
Yeah I kinda agree. But then I also legit feel that iPhone design peaked with the 4 and all Apple should’ve done is pack more functionality in that design.

I have my old 4S in a drawer and sometimes I take it out and just hold it. And then I get sad because that was a truly beautiful object. It was bold and distinctive and precise.

But what good does it do to obsess about the past.
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I liked the 4, but the 5 was there it was for me.
That felt perfect in my hand.
Imagine that form factor with a full body display.

👌
 
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Hardly a surprise considering that until shortly before iPhone 15's release the rumor mill said 15 would have them and Apple backed off from including them.
 
multipasser said:
The guy that decided to put the 'powerbutton' on the right side instead on top should be fired (and more). Most annoying button placement ever!! how many times have you tried to take a picture and you close your phone? ffs
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Ditto. This and how many times have you taken a screenshot because the grip is at the perfect height to actuate the damn power button when you click the volume button (I have the 15 Pro). I mean, did anyone actually hold the prototype phone when they placed the power button there?

Design has left the building and innovation is a distant memory. If the CEO isn't the visionary, they certainly are directly responsible for hiring the appropriate people with vision. The hiring performance here has been mediocre at best.
 
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Given that the volume buttons on both my 13 mini and ipad air stick sometimes this seems like itll be a nice update. I’m assuming the tactile feedback will be as good as the trackpad that’s been on every macbook for ages now, and it’s fantastic, you only realize it’s not really a clicky button when the device is off
 
I'm still a huge proponent of the mute switch. I can see it's muted without the screen, I can feel it's muted based on the physical direction of the switch.
It's been a huge Apple vs Android argument since day 1 because all the Android people think they muted their phone until it rings again. iPhone was always painfully and delightfully obvious if it was or wasn't going to ring.

Maybe everyone is so not used to going to movies or ballet or funerals since covid, but I just don't know how the general public is gaining anything by removing something that's so universally iPhone and so freaking useful.
 
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bodhisattva said:
Will have to wait and see on this one. Seems some promising features possible, but also some huge inconveniences as well. Hope this year isn't one of those experimental years like the Touch Bar for function keys. Had promise, but in delivery just missed something.
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I'm really glad I just got my 15 Pro Max last year and don't have to worry about replacing it for a long time. If this year does end up being one where Apple experiments, they'll have a few years to perfect whatever they end up doing before I have to upgrade.
 
MiaBchDave said:
Ditto. This and how many times have you taken a screenshot because the grip is at the perfect height to actuate the damn power button when you click the volume button (I have the 15 Pro). I mean, did anyone actually hold the prototype phone when they placed the power button there?

Design has left the building and innovation is a distant memory. If the CEO isn't the visionary, they certainly are directly responsible for hiring the appropriate people with vision. The hiring performance here has been mediocre at best.
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Alllll the time. Tons of screenshots from when I'm trying to just turn off my phone screen.
 
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senttoschool said:
I wonder if the iPhone is going through the Touch Bar era of the Mac when Apple was trying to differentiate the Mac through gimmicks. Of course, the true innovation for Macs didn't arrive until Apple Silicon.

Make everything touch. Remove all physical buttons. Reduce tactile feel.
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Going to be honest I miss the Touch Bar was so useful video editing making custom buttons
 
citysnaps said:
You can help Apple innovate and save the company... What form would you like to see? Spherical? Perhaps a three dimensional dodecagon?
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Hardware? - Okay, challenge accepted...
  1. Get rid of the Dynamic "in the middle of your movie" Island.
  2. Move the front facing camera lens to the top right corner (where the curve is) and use the prism tech to funnel the light to the back facing larger sensor. This eliminates the front image sensor, reducing costs, and improves the front facing camera resolution as well.
  3. Gone is the old notch as well if the sensor can be moved to the top right corner with a prism light/guide. If needed, use the top left corner for the faceID. The sensors can be made small enough to fit in the current curve, just reduced radius on top. The current bezel curve radius can remain at the bottom for hand-hold feel.
  4. Improve battery life with the new larger screen area without the notch/dynamic island - you have more real estate for a larger battery. While you're at it, have the software engineers learn how to use a damn profiler - the code is a mess - that will save 10% on battery alone.
  5. Move the power button south to act as a shutter button when the camera is open and the iPhone is turned to landscape. This is the natural position of a shutter.
  6. Return the silent switch over the "action button"
Let me know if you want software suggestions. I'm at your service.
 
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I can't think of any upsides of this but I can think of plenty of downsides. For starters, cases will have to be redesigned to be compatible. This isn't as simple as just changing the dimensions, but there will have to be new cutouts. And dirt will get caught in them.
 
Why can't Apple add Touch ID (not to replace Face ID, but to give users an option)? Every current Mac comes with Touch ID (except the Mac mini, which can still use it if connected to an Apple keyboard with Touch ID). There are current iPads that have it. Doesn't Tim Cook have any clue that many people still want Touch ID?
 
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JippaLippa said:
At least Apple doesn't charge its users, after a year, for the new features that have been added..."just because".
Samsung truuuuuuuuuly being the heroes of the common folk, here.
Nobody's forced to purchase a new device each year; the updates aren't meant for people buying a new phone each year.
Click to expand...

Who are they for then? The people to at buy phones every 4 years? Go try using an iPhone 11 or 12 and see how long that battery life gets you.
 
They solved the home button by making it very clear where it was without looking and giving a great tactile feedback. If either of these features won't be as good, this button is gonna su k.
 
Expecting to see at least the Capture button on the 16 Pro models to be capacitive.
 
Mac Fly (film) said:
To the detriment of the product, they will try to get rid of the volume buttons. They'll bring them back after three years of complaints, Stockholm syndrome style.
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Absolutely! They will also try to get rid of the iPhone itself in the future. Bring back the headphone port now!
 
heretakis said:
Absolutely! They will also try to get rid of the iPhone itself in the future. Bring back the headphone port now!
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They won't be bringing back the headphone port, unfortunately. All ports on all iPhones will use a USB-C connector going forward, and all wired digital products including headphones will likely eventually switch to USB-C, with an exception for the foreseeable future being HDMI connectors, and cards, which are not a wired peripheral.

Separately, I think Apple missed a trick when giving MagSafe to WPC by not including a smaller central ring of magnets in the proposed new wireless charging standard, allowing all small devices (in addition to smartphones) to magnetically charge using a simplified consistent design.
 
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90 % of us have cases on our phones. Even the official Apple ones have issues with the volume controls and having to press harder etc. so tactile really will only be for the naked users out there.. the rest of us will suffer…

So if they are tactile I recon we will all end up adjusting our muscle memory to swipe down from the top to adjust volume. Or watch as we ask Siri to turn up the volume and the lights turn off.
 
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