Despite the iPhone 15 series still being several months away from release, rumors and leaks about the new models are gaining momentum. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first suggested in October of last year that the iPhone 15 Pro models may switch from physical buttons to capacitive ones. Recently, a CAD model leaked by 9to5Mac indicates that the iPhone 15 Pro may feature a single volume rocker that could be capacitive, allowing users to adjust volume levels based on where they touch the button.
In addition to this, the report from 9to5Mac reveals that the iPhone 15 Pro models may feature unified volume buttons, replacing the current separate buttons for volume up and down. The new volume rocker will enable users to adjust the volume based on where they press the button.
According to the same report, the traditional mute switch may also receive a significant makeover, with a new “pressing type button” replacing it. This hint of a capacitive button that requires forceful pressing to activate silent mode could potentially represent a significant departure from the classic design, and similar in functionality to Apple’s ForceTouch tech it uses in MacBook trackpads.
In addition to the hardware changes previously mentioned, reports suggest that Apple plans to incorporate the Dynamic Island feature into all iPhone 15 models, including the standard iPhone 15. Furthermore, rumors have been circulating that the iPhone 15 series may replace the long-standing use of the Lightning port with USB-C as the primary charging port.
However, there is also speculation that Apple may choose to lock certain features behind proprietary technology, making them available only to users with certified cables and accessories.