Apple could remove the dedicated Action button from its next-generation iPhone Pro models in 2027, combining its customizable functions with Camera Control as part of a rumored redesign.
Leaker Instant Digital claims in a post on Weibo that Apple plans to phase out the separate button on new iPhones arriving in the second half of next year. Under the proposed arrangement, pressing Camera Control would still open the Camera app, while holding it down would activate the shortcut normally assigned to the Action button.
For users, the change would mean losing a physical button without necessarily losing its functions. Tasks such as switching to Silent mode, activating a Focus, turning on the flashlight or running a Shortcut could still be available, but through a different control.
The idea is notable because Camera Control already responds to different types of input. A regular press opens the Camera app, while pressing and holding currently supports Visual Intelligence. Apple would need to adjust how those interactions work if it assigns the longer press to a customizable action instead.
Apple introduced the Action button with the iPhone 15 Pro in 2023, replacing the traditional Ring/Silent switch. It later expanded the feature to more models, but its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, launched without a dedicated Action button while retaining Camera Control.
The reported change could be part of the broader redesign expected for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary. Previous rumors have pointed to curved glass and significantly reduced display borders on the 2027 Pro models. The Apple Post’s overview of the rumored iPhone 20 Pro examines those possible changes and the uncertainty surrounding the eventual model name.
Instant Digital has shared accurate details about some Apple products in the past, but the source’s record is mixed, and the claim remains unverified. It is also unclear whether Apple would eventually bring the combined control to every iPhone or introduce it first on the redesigned Pro models.
