Apple first introduced the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro, a dedicated hardware key that could be programmed for a range of shortcuts. The feature has persisted through subsequent models, including the iPhone 18 Pro, which still carries the button as of the latest lineup.
Background on the Action button
The Action button was marketed as a customizable alternative to the traditional volume and power controls, allowing users to assign a preferred shortcut and activate it with a single press. Since its debut, the button has been a point of differentiation for Apple’s premium iPhone line, and its presence has been noted in each new Pro iteration.
Details of the new rumor
According to a tipster posting on the Chinese social platform Weibo, Apple is planning to consolidate the Action button and the existing Camera Control key into a single button on next year’s iPhone models. The claim specifies that the dedicated Action button will begin to disappear in the second half of 2027. Instead of a separate button, its functionality would be absorbed by the Camera Control key.
Under the proposed arrangement, a brief press of the combined button would launch the Camera app, while a long press would trigger the shortcut that is currently assigned to the Action button. The tipster emphasizes that the change concerns the removal of the Action button only, and that the camera key itself would remain intact.
The Weibo post does not name any specific iPhone models, leaving it unclear whether the consolidation would affect the entire fall lineup or only select devices. Nonetheless, the core assertion is that Apple intends to eliminate a physical button while preserving the ability to assign custom shortcuts through the new press‑and‑hold gesture.
Potential impact and other design rumors
If the rumor proves accurate, the shift would mark a notable alteration in Apple’s hardware design philosophy, removing a physical key that has been present for several generations. By moving the Action button’s capabilities to the Camera Control key, Apple could streamline the device’s side profile without sacrificing user‑defined functionality.
Separately, other reports have suggested that Apple’s next‑generation Pro models could undergo a more substantial redesign, with prototype devices reportedly featuring quad‑curved screens. It remains uncertain whether the alleged button consolidation is part of that broader redesign effort or an independent hardware change.
Industry observers will be watching Apple’s upcoming product announcements for confirmation of either the button merger or the broader design overhaul. Until official details are released, the Weibo tipster’s claim stands as the latest piece of speculation surrounding Apple’s hardware roadmap.
Mitchell Landsberg is a Senior Technology Correspondent at News Raise. He covers consumer electronics, artificial intelligence, software developments, and digital privacy trends.
