04/22 Update below. This post was originally published on April 19
The saga of Apple’s new iPhone 15 Pro action button just took a surprising turn. According to a leaker analyst941the Action button will have a wide range of new functions, including taking over the power off and restart function currently controlled by the volume buttons.
“The volume up + power button will no longer be used to turn off the device or force restart it,” says the leaker. “The turn remains, but [the] the combination will be changed to action + power button.”
While that would confound years of muscle memory, it actually makes sense in light of a leak last month that claims Apple is developing a dedicated chip that allows the Action button to work even when the phone is off or out of battery.
In addition, analyst941 claims that the Action button will replace the functionality of the volume up button when taking a photo, as well as add new shortcut options:
- Tap: Automatically focuses the camera
- Hard press: capture photo
- Hard press + long hold: capture/record video
According to analyst941, these additional controls are enabled by pressure sensitivity on the Action button. This is similar to 3D Touch (Force Touch on a MacBook trackpad), with the new solid-state action button recognizing light, hard, and long presses.
If correct, support for multi-input recognition is unlikely to be limited to power and camera, with Apple using it for other applications. It could also be a boon for gamers, though it’s not known if Apple would open up access to the Action button to developers, with the company known to be cautious with new technology out of the gate.
Ultimately, though, the potential for a multi-function, programmable external button on the iPhone is huge.
Nor will it be the only change with record thin frames for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, a camera with optical zoom for the latter and the USB-C connection introduced for the entire range. Apple is also expected to introduce a new textured finish for the standard models.
The only downside to all of this, aside from the increased pace of change, which frustrates some iPhone fans, is the rumored price hike. The iPhone 15 Pro models could go up to $200 while the standard models remain unchanged, creating a $400 gap between the 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch Pro and non-Pro versions. It means many fans may miss out on the biggest changes.
Update 04/21: According to a new leak, the iPhone 15 lineup could have a big difference from the models Apple will release in September: Lightning.
Reliable flow Unknownz21 explains that Apple toyed with the delay in adopting USB-C and made a version of the iPhone 15 with a Lightning port, “but it was quickly scrapped.” This is likely due to growing legal pressurealthough these rules will not come into force in 2023.
The announcer also notes that USB-C on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will deliver 3.0 higher data speeds (up to 5 Gbit per second/5,000 Mbit per second), compared to USB 2.0 speed (480 Mbit per second) that has disabled iPhones for years.
Disappointingly, Unknownz21 claims that the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus won’t offer wired performance improvements, sticking with USB 2.0, despite the phones also moving to USB-C. Given that the USB-C connector can be paired with Thunderbolt 3 to deliver theoretical speeds of up to 40 Gbit per second, not moving the needle at all for the standard iPhone 15 models is a shame.
Yes, wireless backups are the norm, but the ability to quickly back up or restore all iPhone 15 models at higher data speeds would be a welcome addition.
Update 04/22: Further details about Apple’s future plans for the iPhone have leaked courtesy of Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Speaking in MacRumors PodcastGurman revealed that Apple’s long-awaited support for sideloading apps in iOS 17 is unlikely to come to the US.
Gurman says Apple will only make the feature available in Europe to comply with EU regulations Digital Markets Actwhich addresses the so-called “gatekeepers” and asks them to open up their software platforms to ensure fair competition.
The answer to this is likely to be divided. On the one hand, many Apple fans enjoy the walled garden the company implements for the security benefits it brings. On the other hand, critics say it stifles competition and not all apps are available in all regions of the App Store, something sideloading can address.
Gurman says Apple is unlikely to mention the feature at WWDC — a sign of how reluctant it is to agree to the change. This should not be a surprise. CEO Tim Cook has argued against loading apps on multiple occasions. Notably, last year he spoke at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit, saying:
Apple believes in competition. We appreciate his role in driving innovation and driving us all forward. And we appreciate that the proponents of these ideas have good intentions. But if we are forced to leave unverified apps on the iPhone, the unintended consequences will be profound. And when we see this, we feel compelled to speak up.
Apple is clearly losing this battle, but will continue to fight it on a territory-by-territory basis (unlike its global switch to USB-C). Personally, I’m in favor of the move because it offers choice and flexibility, and subscription services can be significantly cheaper without the disruption of the App Store. Anyone against the change can stay in the App Store.
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