iOS 17 hints at major iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max design upgrade

The summer months ending can feel a little sad, but it’s not all doom and gloom because that means cosy autumn days are around the corner, and it also means something exciting is coming - the next Apple launch. This year, we’ll be treated to the shiny new iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max which is something to get very excited about.

When is the next Apple Event, exactly? Well, we don’t actually know but we’re expecting it to be sometime in September, most likely around the 12th or 13th.

In the runup to the event, the rumour mill inevitably starts churning out possible new features and upgrades for the new handsets - and 2023 is no different, we’ve already had some pretty solid clues about what could be on its way and there’s one potential design upgrade that has got everyone talking.

An action button looks set to be included on the new iPhone frame, and I am so here for it!

Thanks to source code in the latest iOS 17 update we’re pretty sure that the action button will allow you to quickly launch apps and change core settings. It’ll most likely include the option to switch on Silent mode as before, as well as to turn on the torch, launch the camera, apply a Focus session or record voice memos - we’re hoping that there will be other configurations available for it too.

I personally think that the new button will be really useful, especially if it means being able to launch the camera even more quickly. Swiping left is fine but it still takes a second so you do sometimes miss a moment. A quick press of a button could totally change that. Similarly turning the torch on and off, when I need light, I need it now and having to tap a button on the screen just isn’t always quick and easy enough.

The action button isn't a particularly glamourous design change but I reckon it'll make a world of difference to how you use the phone, especially if you get some personalised control over what the button can do - like if you're able to set it to open your most used external apps as well.

There is one more negative implication of this change worth talking about. Before, checking your phone was in Silent mode was as quick as touching the switch. You could feel whether it was set to mute or not. The new action button takes that option away but we have also heard that there could be a new way to check by tapping the screen and getting haptic feedback (vibrations) in response to indicate the sound mode.

Another design change to expect is the new USB-C charging, which I’m also very pleased about because I have hundreds of compatible cables lying around but only one or two lightning cables which are shared by the whole household, so I’ll be spending a lot less time hunting for a lost wire. Result!