Goodbye Useless iPhone Ring Switch? Apple May Replace It With More Useful 'Action Button'

Apple's iPhone has had a ring/silent switch since day one, and the author is ready for it to be replaced by something more useful.
The ring/silent switch is mostly ignored and not very useful for many iPhone users who keep their phone on silent already.
The rumored "Action button" that may replace the switch on iPhone 15 sounds more useful, with ability to program different actions.
Losing the rarely used ring/silent switch will be inconsequential compared to losing Touch ID or Lightning port, which are used daily.
The switch is obsolete and its removal will make way for a port-free, button-free future iPhone design.

techradar.com

Relevant topic timeline:

9/7/2023

Why the Rumored iPhone 15 Pro Needs an Action Button

Apple's rumored iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max may feature an Action button, inherited from the Apple Watch Ultra, that could improve multitasking and customization options on the phone.

9/13/2023

iPhone 15 Pro Brings New Action Button, A17 Chip and USB-C to Familiar Design

Apple's iPhone 15 Pro features a customizable Action Button, a new titanium design, a revamped A17 Pro chip, and a switch to USB-C for wired charging.

9/14/2023

iPhone 15 Pro Gets New Action Button, Titanium Frame, Four Color Options

The new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max come with a customizable action button that replaces the mute switch, allowing users to toggle between different actions such as Ring/Silent, Camera, Flashlight, and more, with the option to assign Translate, although this feature will be enabled in a future iOS 17 update.

9/24/2023

iPhone 15 Pro Cases Have Issues Accommodating Surprise Action Button Redesign

Third-party iPhone 15 Pro series cases have a design flaw that inhibits the use of the new Action button introduced by Apple, such as the Bellroy case that has a cutout for the old mute switch but obstructs the activation of the Action button.

10/3/2023

Customize iPhone 15 Pro's New Action Button with Multi-Purpose Shortcuts

The iPhone 15 Pro has replaced the mute switch with a multi-function Action Button that can be assigned to various tasks, including activating the flashlight and turning on the camera, and can be customized with shortcuts for more efficient use.

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Posted 9/11/2023, 2:27:04 PM