iPhone 15 Pro may not be getting this exciting new feature after all

Two iPhone 14 Pro phones on a blue background
The iPhone 14 Pro features Apple's classic button designs (Image credit: Apple)

Bad news, folks: despite multiple sources previously claiming that the iPhone 15 Pro will arrive bearing solid-state (i.e. non-physical) volume buttons, two seasoned Apple analysts have since counterclaimed that Apple’s next flagship handset will instead stick with traditional button designs. 

The news was broken by Haitong Tech analyst Jeff Pu and later corroborated by reliable tipster Ming-Chi Kuo; with the pair claiming that Apple has decided to delay the introduction of solid-state volume buttons until next year’s crop of new iPhones. 

According to Pu, Apple needs more time to develop the haptic engines required to power these new buttons, with Kuo adding that their removal from the company’s Pro-level iPhone 15 “will simplify the development and testing process.”

Suffice to say, this is a disappointing revelation. We were hoping to see capacitive volume and power buttons – those which use vibrations to simulate the sensation of being pressed despite not actually moving (think the iPhone 7’s haptic Home button) – introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro and much-rumored iPhone 15 Ultra, but it now seems as though both devices will instead stick with the conventional button designs sported by today’s best iPhones

Given the technical intricacy of capacitive buttons, though, Apple’s supposed decision to kick the can down the road is understandable. 

On top of the haptic engines cited by Pu, another leaker had previously claimed that a dedicated microprocessor would support the iPhone 15 Pro’s solid-state buttons, rendering them capable of detecting touches even when the device is switched off. The microprocessor in question was purported to replace the Super Low Energy Mode currently used in the iPhone 14 Pro, which allows apps like Find My and Apple Pay to function with next to no power. 

In other words: solid-state power buttons are complex beasts, but we’ll hopefully see them introduced in 2024, with the iPhone 16 line, if not this year’s iPhone 15 range.

iPhone 15 Pro: what else we expect

The iPhone 14 Pro Max (front) and iPhone 14 Pro (back) in black on a blue background

The iPhone 14 Pro Max (front) and iPhone 14 Pro (back) (Image credit: Apple)

As a consequence of Apple’s supposed U-turn on solid-state power buttons, we’re now a touch less confident about the accuracy of other iPhone 15 Pro feature rumors, but there are a handful that seem a formality at this point. 

For instance, we’re almost certain that a chip upgrade – likely in the form of an A17 Bionic – will be made exclusive to Apple’s most expensive iPhones, with recent leaks hinting that this processor could make the iPhone 15 Pro as fast as an M1 MacBook. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, by contrast, are expected to inherit last year’s A16 Bionic.

The presence of a USB-C port on the iPhone 15 Pro now seems a given, too. The EU has told Apple that it needs to add USB-C charging ports to iPhones from 2024 onwards, but a newly leaked dummy model – combined with previous leaked photos showing an iPhone 15 Pro with a USB-C port – suggests the company will be making the switch in 2023 with its next crop of iPhones. 

We’ll be staying abreast of all the latest iPhone 15 news, rumors and leaks as we approach the line’s presumed September announcement, so stay tuned to TechRadar for the details.

TOPICS
Axel Metz
Phones Editor

Axel is TechRadar's UK-based Phones Editor, reporting on everything from the latest Apple developments to newest AI breakthroughs as part of the site's Mobile Computing vertical. Having previously written for publications including Esquire and FourFourTwo, Axel is well-versed in the applications of technology beyond the desktop, and his coverage extends from general reporting and analysis to in-depth interviews and opinion.  Axel studied for a degree in English Literature at the University of Warwick before joining TechRadar in 2020, where he then earned an NCTJ qualification as part of the company’s inaugural digital training scheme.

Read more
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
iPhone 17 Pro: latest rumors, tips and everything we’ve heard so far
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
iPhone 17: latest news and rumors for every expected model
An iPhone 15 Pro Max held in the hand
iPhone 17 Air – 5 key rumored features, from an ultra-thin frame to so-so battery life
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
Leaked iPhone 17 renders hint at major design changes – including 3 controversial changes for the Pro and Pro Max
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
iPhone 17 Pro Max: latest news, rumors, and everything we’ve heard so far
Apple iPhone 16 Pro REVIEW
New iPhone 17 Pro rumor predicts bizarre new camera bar design, but we're far from convinced
Latest in iPhone
Three iPhone 16 handsets on show
Apple could launch an iPhone 17 Ultra this year – but we've heard these rumors before
Apple iPhone 16e on blue background with big savings text overlay
Total Wireless' latest iPhone 16e deal gets you $300 off plus a cheap plan for a year
The Apple iPhone 16e held at a slant at a window
From iPhone to Android and (almost) back again – the iPhone 16e failed to lure me back to iOS
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
The latest iPhone 17 Pro Max leak may have given us another look at its upcoming redesign
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
New iPhone 17 Air leak may have revealed some key specs – and how it compares to the iPhone 17 Pro Max
Apple iPhone 16 Review
Three iPhone 17 model dummy units appear in a hands-on video leak
Latest in News
Three iPhone 16 handsets on show
Apple could launch an iPhone 17 Ultra this year – but we've heard these rumors before
Super Mario Odyssey
ChatGPT is the ultimate gaming tool - here's 4 ways you can use AI to help with your next playthrough
Ray-Ban smart glasses with the Cpperni logo, an LED array, and a MacBook Air with M4 next to ecah other.
ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories from Twitter's massive outage to iRobot's impressive new Roombas
Brad Pitt looks over his right shoulder with 'F1' written behind him
Apple Original Films will take you behind-the-scenes of a racing cockpit in this new thrilling F1 movie trailer
AI writer
Coding AI tells developer to write it himself
Reacher looking down at another character from the Prime Video TV series Reacher
Reacher season 3 becomes Prime Video’s biggest returning show thanks to Hollywood’s biggest heavyweight