The iPhone was introduced to the world in 2007, so the 20th anniversary is coming up in 2027. To mark the occasion, Apple is reportedly planning a drastic design change not unlike the iPhone X. One of those changes will reportedly involves a longtime rumor regarding the buttons on the iPhone.
On Weibo, user Setsuna Digital, who has a track record of accuracy with Apple rumors, reports that the heptic button implementation has “completed functional verification” and is set for production in the 2027 iPhone. All of the buttons will implement solid-state controls, and Apple will use vibration feedback to give the user a sense of how they are using the buttons.
Additionally, Setsuna Digital reports that the Camera Control button will be modified, with Apple removing the capacitive sensing layer, leaving only pressure sensing. “Subsequent iterations will introduce piezoelectric ceramics for localized vibration feedback,” wrote Setsuna Digital. That coud arrive as early as the iPhone 18 next year.
Rumors of Apple switching to haptic buttons go back to the iPhone 15, where Apple reportedly had plans to implement solid-state button tech but changed course due to engineering issues. Haptic buttons have an advantage in that they have few moving parts, thus making them less prone to wear and tear. To make the haptic buttons feel “real,” Setsuna Digital said that a vibration-based sound system and AI audio algorithms may be used to provide physical feedback. Similar technology is already used in the MacBook’s trackpad.
The haptic buttons are just part of a major redesign Apple has planned for 2027. Bloomberg’s Mark Guram recently reported that Apple in 2027 is working on an iPhone design that will “fit nicely” with the iOS 26 Liquid Glass UI, with an iPhone that has “curved glass edges all around.”
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor, Macworld
Roman is a Macworld Senior Editor with over 30 years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the Mac and other products in the Apple ecosystem. He is also the host of the Macworld Podcast. His career started at MacUser, where he received Apple certification as a repair technician (when Apple did that kind of thing). He's also worked for MacAddict, MacLife, and TechTV.