Totally button-free iPhones could be coming after iPhone 13

(Image credit: Future)

The portless iPhone might not be the only thing Apple is developing. Cupertino could also be working on a phone that doesn't accept whatsoever buttons.

That's according to a new Apple tree patent awarding uncovered past AppleInsider. According to the application, buttons interrupt the "continuity of the device housing", and mechanical buttons can suffer wear and tear over time. This problem, if yous can phone call it that, may be stock-still in a future iPhone — only probably not on the iPhone 13.

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"Invisible" buttons may be the answer, if this patent application is anything to go by. Rather than having a mechanical switch that you lot toggle on and off, this hypothetical iPhone would rely on capacitive sensing. That fashion, the "button" can be part of the device'southward principal housing and there volition be no moving parts that might break downwardly.

Of course, "invisible" may non be the right word, because people need to know where a button is. The patent mentions the use of invisible backlit holes which tin can "make the input selectively visible or invisible to the user."

It's not clear how that would work, especially if there's a point where you may not be able to conspicuously come across where your buttons are.

The case for ditching buttons

Apple's patent application makes it clear that ditching buttons is mostly an artful choice, and the application goes on at length near how people expect their phones to look good.

But the application does make some valid points, such as how in that location currently needs to be a small gap betwixt the push button and the phone. That gap could let clay or moisture inside the phone without the user fifty-fifty realizing it.

Wear and tear is also brought up, though that may not be such a huge issue. Maybe I'thou a special case, but I've never had any issues with the buttons on my smartphones breaking. Plenty of other things have gone wrong, but never the buttons.

Just what's improve than a button?

Apple isn't wrong — wear and tear does happen and problems do occur — but do they really happen so much that it'southward a major business concern?

Capacitive sensors may non habiliment downward as quickly as concrete buttons, but they're not immune from bug. I suspect that replacing or fixing sensors will exist more than of a chore than fixing push button mechanisms.

The main issue I have with this idea is that traditional buttons have multiple advantages. They are easily visible, which Apple'south patent awarding considers a bad thing. But everyone knows where the buttons are, and no 1 needs to bollix around trying to go something washed.

Concrete buttons are tactile, and you tin easily use them without looking. That'due south incredibly useful from an accessibility standpoint, and these "invisible" buttons would demand some sort of physical affirmation such as haptic feedback.

A patent application is only a patent awarding, so there's cypher guarantee that the iPhone will lose its buttons anytime shortly. It may be the right kind of feature to scroll out alongside a portless iPhone so you lot can get a truly uninterrupted phone design.

Rumor is that the portless iPhone won't exist arriving this year. Don't concur your breath for the push button-less iPhone to be coming anytime shortly either.

More: iPhone 13: 7 of the biggest upgrades we're expecting to see

Tom is the Tom's Guide'southward Automotive Editor, which means he tin usually be found knee deep in stats the latest and best electric cars, or checking out some sort of driving gadget. It'south long way from his days equally editor of Gizmodo Great britain, when pretty much everything was on the tabular array. He's usually found trying to squeeze some other behemothic Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or lament that Ikea won't let him purchase the stuff he really needs online.