We are knee-deep in iPhone rumor season. The latest leak comes fromTwitter/X user Majin Bu, who has had some success with previous leaks about the iPhone in the past. The leak involves iPhone 15 Ultra (the prevailingrumor says the high-end iPhone will be called Ultrainstead of Pro Max this year) cases, and it seems to affirm the speculation that that model will not feature the beloved mute switch but will instead have an extra button.
iPhone 15 Ultra Action Button
In the leaked case photos, you can see a pop-out for a button where a hole would typically provide access to the mute switch. Bu did note that this is a “replica, it is not an official product” inresponseto another X user, so we must take this with a grain of salt. However, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen reports that Apple would drop the mute switch in favor of a button. The most recent hint came fromMacRumorsand was spotted in aniOS 17 beta release. It details nine different ways the Action button can be used based on the iOS 17 beta 4 code.
A key feature listed in the beta code is “Enabling and disabling silent mode.” If the mute switch is going away, iPhone 15 buyers will almost certainly want a quick way to mute their device, which may become a function of the rumored Action Button. If that is the main use of the button, though, why bother changing from a switch to a button in the first place, especially when the switch already does the job so well?
The answer comes down to the other functions of the button, similar to how the button works on theApple Watch Ultra. It can enable accessibility features like AssistiveTouch, launch preconfigured shortcuts from the Shortcuts app, open the Camera app, fire the shutter when needed, and much more. These extra functions could make losing the simplicity of the switch worthwhile for some, but it could be a hard pill to swallow for longtime iPhone users who are accustomed to how quick and smooth and quick using the mute switch is.
After all, the feature has been around since the first iPhone, so it’ll take some serious adjusting. Based on how well it works on Apple Watch Ultra, we think Apple will make it a good upgrade for the iPhone 15 so it doesn’t feel like we’re losing a beloved feature but gaining something better.
The cases don’t reveal much additional information about the upcoming iPhone 15 Ultra, so we’ll have to wait for more leaks that will hopefully give us more insight into what the top-of-the-line iPhone will offer.
Of course, this is all speculation until Apple takes the stage to announce the iPhone 15 and all the new stuff that comes with it. We’ve heard from reliable sources that the event isscheduled for June 01, 2025, so we won’t have to wait too long to get all the answers. From there, we can expect to see the iPhone 15 models go up for pre-order on Friday, September 15, with them hitting the hands of buyers the following Friday, September 22.
