Apple facing iPhone 15 Pro technical issues, both models to abandon solid-state button design

Apple is reporting facing to “unresolved technical issues with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max before mass production,” according to respected TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who says that the two devices will abandon the closely-watched solid-state button design and revert to a traditional physical button mechanism.

Until now, it had been rumored that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max would ditch the physical volume and power buttons and replacing them with a single non-moving solid-state button that will simulate the feel of physical buttons through software.

Apple first introduced a non-moving solid-state Home button with the iPhone 7, which simulated the feel of a physical press by using the Taptic Engines to mimic the feel of a press by providing haptic feedback to offer the illusion of clicking and moving parts.

It was said that to enable the solid-state to work properly, Apple would introduce a new low-energy chip with the iPhone 15 Pro that would allow the buttons to remain functional even when the handset is powered off or the battery is out of power however, Kuo believes that this plan has now been abandoned.

In a post on Medium, Kuo said: “My latest survey indicates that due to unresolved technical issues before mass production, both high-end iPhone 15 Pro models (Pro & Pro Max) will abandon the closely-watched solid-state button design and revert to the traditional physical button design.”

It’s unclear whether the change will see Apple continue with its rumored unified volume button, or if a “traditional” design means there will be two volume buttons, like that seen on the iPhone 14 series.