Apple plans to remove the iPhone’s Action button, merging it with the Camera Control starting next year, claims the leaker known as “Instant Digital.”
The leaker’s comments cone in a new post on Weibo, where the leaker claims that a single press of the combined button would open the camera, while a long press would trigger the function assigned to the Action button.
The Google Translation of the post reads:
Apple’s Action Button, also known as the mute switch, will be officially phased out in the new iPhones starting in the second half of next year.
It will be integrated with the camera button. A single tap will access the camera, and a long press on the Action Button will activate it.Don’t misunderstand, I said the mute switch will be gone, not the camera button itself.
Currently, the Action button requires a long press to activate its assigned function, while a single press of the Camera Control opens the camera. Combining them in the way the leaker described would preserve both familiar interactions.
It should be noted that Apple removed the Action button from the recently released iPhone Duo, while retaining Camera Control. This could be taken as an indication that Apple has plans to do the same across its iPhone lineup.
Apple debuted the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro in 2023 as a replacement for the longstanding Ring/Silent switch. The button can be assigned several different functions, including Silent mode, Focus, the flashlight, Shortcuts, and others.
