According to a leaker on Weibo, Apple will reportedly remove a sensor from next year’s iPhone 18 Camera Control button, switching from the current dual-sensor design to rely solely on pressure sensing for all functions.
As reported by MacRumors, the leaker Instant Digital claims Apple’s revised approach will simplify the component and reduce costs. The change would mirror designs seen in devices like the OPPO X8 Ultra and vivo X200 Ultra, which use pressure sensors alone to distinguish between light taps, firm presses, and sliding gestures.
Introduced with the iPhone 16 series, the Camera Control combines a tactile switch and a force sensor on the side of the device, enabling photo and video capture along with adjustments for zoom, exposure, and depth of field.
While a recent rumor suggested Apple might drop the Camera Control entirely due to limited popularity, today’s leak points to a streamlined version rather than removal.