Apple will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the iPhone next year, marking two decades since Steve Jobs took the stage to unveil the first-generation model in 2007. When the smartphone line turned 10 years old in 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X with a significant design change.
The company is likely to do the same for the 20th anniversary iPhone. Previously, there were reports that the handset will feature a “glass-centric” design. Now, a tipster says that Apple will be getting rid of the Action Button on next year's iPhone, but keeping the basic action of the physical button. The leak regarding Apple removing the standalone Action Button from the 20th-anniversary iPhone originates from the Chinese Weibo tipster Instant Digital (also reported as Momentary Digital).
Apple may remove the dedicated Action Button from 2027 iPhones
A recent report, citing a post on China's micro-blogging site Weibo, suggests that Apple is ditching the dedicated Action Button in its 2027 anniversary iPhones. Although it might seem extreme to take away a hardware control, the users need not be deprived of its functionality.
Instead, Apple is said to be working to bundle the features of the Action Button into the Camera Control button. The reason behind this change may be to make the phone's design more streamlined, yet still offer users many of the customisation features.
As per the proposed design, all the features that were linked to the Action Button may be incorporated into the Camera Control button. The Camera Control button is a new addition to the iPhone 16 series that aims to offer an intuitive way to access the camera and its controls.
The combined control mechanism could work as follows, according to the leak:
Single press: Opens the Camera app or operates the camera when it is already open.
Press and hold: Activates the custom Action Button shortcut assigned by the user, such as muting the ringer, turning on the flashlight, recording a voice memo or running a custom Shortcut.
These functions have not been confirmed by Apple. The exact way the combined button will work, if introduced, is also unclear.
How the iPhone's Action Button and camera control have evolved
The reported change would bring two separate iPhone controls together. Here is how Apple introduced them:
2023 (iPhone 15 Pro): Apple introduced the Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, replacing the traditional Ring/Silent switch. Users could assign different functions to it.
2024 (iPhone 16 series): Apple brought the Action Button to the standard iPhone 16 models and introduced the separate Camera Control button across the series.
2027 (20th-anniversary generation): The latest leak suggests that Apple could combine the two controls, keeping the camera functions and Action Button shortcuts in a single button.
What the reported iPhone button change could mean for users
It isn't an official design released by Apple, but the reported transition may be a part of a larger redesign for Apple's 20th anniversary of the iPhone. The leak suggests that the Action Button might no longer be available, although perhaps it can still be customised via Camera Control. This may make the physical configuration easier and still allow for easy access to commonly used shortcuts.
There are still questions about what Apple would do with the existing Camera Control swipes, and what the custom functions would be for the Action Button. It isn't confirmed if the change will come with the 2027 iPhone models or not.
The Action Button could therefore disappear as a separate control without its functionality being lost. This is an important distinction for users who regularly rely on shortcuts such as Silent Mode, the flashlight and Voice Memos. Keep an eye on this development as more information about Apple's 20th-anniversary iPhone plans emerges.
