iPhone 15 Pro reportedly gaining new low-energy chip to power solid-state buttons when device is turned off
Apple is widely rumored to be ditching the physical volume and power buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro and replacing them with a single non-moving solid-state button that will simulate the feel of physical buttons through software.
According to a new rumor, to enable the solid-state to work properly, Apple will introduce a new low-energy chip with the iPhone 15 Pro that will allow the buttons to remain functional even when the handset is powered off or the battery is out of power.
The rumor, which comes from MacRumors, suggests that the new low-energy chip will replace Apple’s current energy mode that allows an iPhone to be located via Find My after it has been powered off, and enables Apple Pay Express Mode to be used after the battery is depleted.
The source claims that the new solid-state button may also be able to sense capacitive presses, holds, “and even detect their own version of 3D Touch,” suggesting that the new volume buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro may be able to be adjusted by swiping up and down on the button with a finger.
Leaked CAD files for the iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro were recently turned into renders, giving us our first look at what to expect from the new devices including USB-C support, a new curve design for the Pro series, updated volume controls, and more.
Image: ShrimpApplePro