According to reports, the iPhone 16, expected in 2024, it could abandon traditional physical buttons in favor of capacitive buttons. Capacitive buttons, in fact, do not involve moving mechanical components, but are based on the touch detection via the electrical conductivity of the human body.
Rumors about this alleged design change aren’t entirely new. Last year there was already discussion about the hypothesis that the iPhone 15 could adopt capacitive buttons, but these plans were later shelved due to production problems emerged in the last few months before launch.
According to the latest rumors, which emerged from a report by the Economic Daily News, Apple has reportedly placed an order to its supply chain for a new capacitive button system intended for the iPhone 16. The order would include a system-in-a-package module (SiP) to replace the physical buttons on both sides of the smartphone with capacitive buttons.
Furthermore, the report reveals that they would be expected two Taptic Engine add-onsone on each side, to ensure vibration feedback when the user presses the capacitive buttons, replicating the tactile experience of traditional physical buttons.
The order for these components would be assigned exclusively to Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE), a Taiwanese giant in the semiconductor industry. According to estimates, considering the hundreds of millions of iPhones that Apple sells every year, the production volume of these capacitive buttons for the iPhone 16 could be staggering. If confirmed, this breakthrough in iPhone design would represent a important step towards greater integration and miniaturization of componentseliminating any entry points for dust and liquids and potentially allowing for better waterproofing of the smartphone.
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