iPhone 15 Pro — Apple’s flagship smartphone that is expected to make its debut this year — could be equipped with a new Action button, after features related to the physical button were reportedly spotted on the latest iOS 17 beta. Previous leaks suggest that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a new physical button in place of the mute switch, and a new report now suggests that Apple’s next Pro smartphone models could support at least nine functions that are customisable.
Apple recently rolled out iOS 17 beta 4 to developers, with various bug fixes and tweaks to the interface. The latest beta also includes code that point to the existence of the rumoured Action button, according to a MacRumors report. The code also suggests that the button could support a range of features, from toggling accessibility settings to enabling and disabling Focus modes.
In addition to offering the functionality of the mute switch it is expected to replace, the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro could also be allowed to quickly enable or disable a Focus mode. It might also allow users to enable features like AssistiveTouch, Zoom, and other accessibility features, according to the report. Meanwhile, it could be used to toggle the flashlight option or quickly launch and click photos.
The report also claims that the Action button could be used to run specific Shortcuts, launch the Translate app, or record voice memos on their smartphone. Users who rely on the Magnifier app on their iPhone to read small text might also be able to program the button for quick access to the app.
Earlier this year, news reports hinted at the possibility of Apple replacing the mute switch on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max with an Action button that works like the one on the Apple Watch Ultra that was launched last year. At the time, it was speculated that the button could be used to control various device features including toggling themes, low power mode, rotation lock, taking screenshots, using the built-in Shazam feature, and so on.
Meanwhile, images of purported covers for the iPhone 15 Pro were recently leaked on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo. The leaked images suggest the presence of a new button located above the volume toggles on the left side of the phone. Previous iPhone Pro models — including the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max — are equipped with a mute switch in the same location.
It is worth noting that the new button is also covered, like the other buttons on the phone, instead of the previous mute switch cutout. However, it is worth taking these claims and leaked images with a pinch of salt as there are still a couple of months to go before Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 15 lineup of smartphones.