It is now said for sure: the hard keys in the iPhone have been moved

A letter to shareholders of Apple resource Cirrus Logic indicates that Apple already plans to use solid-state buttons for the iPhone 15 Pro in the fall. For unspecified reasons, this plan has been rejected for the time being. Therefore, Cirrus Logic’s management promises shareholders in message to a decline in sales.

There are several indications that the unnamed customer is Apple: First, there is talk of a smartphone due to appear in the fall. Secondly, the client is very internally reserved regarding his future plans. And third, Apple was Cirrus Logic’s largest customer in 2022 with a 79 percent share — such significant demand that a change in revenue forecasts would likely be associated with the iPhone maker.

Static keys are useful for manufacturers

There has been speculation for months that Apple could replace the iPhone’s ported volume, power, and mute buttons with simulated buttons. In this case, the haptic feedback will be generated by Taptic Engines. Apple users already know something similar from the trackpad on current MacBooks or from previous iPhones with the Touch ID home button. Fixed switches are advantageous from a manufacturer’s point of view because there are no hardware holes through which water can get in, and the lack of moving parts can also reduce the need for repair and service on customer machines.

Cirrus Logic calls the hardware required for this segment a High Performance Mixed Signal (HPMS). The Texas-based company indicated in November 2022 that it expects a major order this year. Analysts have heard that technical issues are to blame for the now expected waiver, prompting Apple to delay the change. Apple itself is traditionally silent about such questions. However, as a first step in the fall, the mute toggle is still expected to be replaced with a new button similar to the action button on the Apple Watch Ultra.

(Makky)