Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone, set to launch next September, could drop the Action Button in favour of Camera Control, says leaker 'Instant Digital' on the platform Weibo.
For a long time, the iPhone had the same five buttons: the power button, volume up, volume down, a silent switch and the home button.
In 2017, Apple reduced the number to four when it removed the home button from the iPhone X, and many people believed Apple would keep cutting down on buttons to eventually have an iPhone with zero physical buttons.
However, the company has seemingly gone the other way. In 2023 Apple replaced the silent switch with an Action Button, and in 2024 introduced Camera Control to the device.
This was somewhat controversial, as whilst many users find the Action Button useful, the addition of Camera Control felt unnecessary and like Apple was just cluttering the side of the device.
Now, Apple could be taking the decluttering onboard, by removing the much-loved Action Button in favour of the less-so-loved Camera Control.
The leaker Instant Digital, who has correctly reported Apple leaks before, said on Weibo:
Apple’s Action Button, also known as the mute switch, will officially be phased out starting with new iPhone models in the second half of next year. It will be integrated with the camera button. Tap to launch the camera; press and hold the Action Button to perform its function. Don’t get me wrong—I’m saying the mute switch is gone, not that the camera button is gone.
But would a change like this make sense? Sort of.
When Camera Control launched with iOS 18 on the iPhone 16 lineup, you could use your Action Button for quick controls, click Camera Control for the camera app or long-press camera control for Visual Intelligence.
However, Apple has made some changes since then by integrating Visual Intelligence as 'Siri' in the camera app. This means no matter how you press Camera Control in iOS 27, it takes you to the same app - just a different section of it.
No matter how you press the button in iOS 27, you can simply swipe left or right for the other option, as seen in the screenshot below.
As the Action Button is a long-press button, it could make sense for a long-press on Camera Control to activate your action, and one click to access the photos app which now contains Visual Intelligence.
However, some people report that Camera Control is not in the best position, being too low on the device to easily click it, which is not ideal for a quick action.
Additionally, it is easier to accidentally click this button than the current Action Button, which could be annoying if it is set to your bright torch or to carry out a custom Shortcut.
The change could also be annoying for many who have got used to these buttons and actions when they first switch.
Final Thoughts
Since getting my iPhone 16 Pro in 2024, I have regularly used Camera Control. While many will disagree, I think it is positioned perfectly for easy access. However, the different actions it can perform do feel somewhat redundant in iOS 27.
If the Action Button is discontinued and its capabilities are integrated into Camera Control, I would personally welcome the change. However, I suspect plenty of other iPhone users may not agree.
