Warm Winter Good Thing Award
Apple introduced the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, and Apple decided to drop the hardware features that had been around since the first generation of iPhones in 2007. The change I'm referring to is the replacement of the mute button with a new action button for the Ring toggle, similar to the one on the Apple Watch Ultra.
The "Action" button seems quite controversial, and you either love it or hate it. When I got my hands on the iPhone 15 Pro, the action button was one of the main reasons I upgraded from the iPhone 14 Pro.
However, it doesn't seem like everyone likes it as much as I do.
As I mentioned, the action buttons are one of the most exciting features in the iPhone 15 Pro, and I think it's worth upgrading.
One of my favorite features since I started using various Android phones is the ability to turn on the camera button via power. Although Apple didn't exactly replicate the gesture, the Action button gave me similar functionality to the iPhone.
I know that there is a camera shortcut button on the iPhone lock screen, and I still use it occasionally out of Xi. But my problem with the shortcut on the screen is that it comes and goes. Sometimes, it makes me walk towards the camera without any problem;Other times, it doesn't seem to perform well, and by the time I walk up to the camera, the moment I wanted to capture is over.
When I got my hands on the iPhone 15 Pro on launch day, the first thing I did was set up the action button to launch the camera app. When my "Action" button is set to start the camera, I often use it multiple times a day.
Especially when I'm at Disneyland. It has become my go-to way to launch my camera, and although I can do more by using shortcuts, I prefer the simpler.
So far, I've found the "Action" button to be much more useful than the mute it replaces with the Ring toggle switch. I'm the kind of person who never puts my phone on silent, so whenever I get a new iPhone, I set it to silent and never turn on the sound again. In other words, the toggle button is basically only used once and never again. In contrast, the Action button is used multiple times a day.
That said, one thing I noticed about the action buttons that Apple might want to reconsider in the future.
Although I am just one of those who use the Action button a lot on a daily basis, I have seen comments on various social networks about how other users forget it exists or just don't really use it. One of the reasons is where the buttons are located.
There are already rumors that the entire iPhone 16 series will be equipped with an "Action" button, not just the Pros, and a brand new "Shoot" button located on the right side of the body. Since there is a new button on the right side, Apple will also have to move the mmWave antenna to the left edge, so the new button may be in a more accessible position than the current action button.
Of course, we still don't know what this presumed new button is actually for. But rumor has it that it will be a "shoot" button, and it will most likely be a dedicated hardware camera shutter, leaving more options for the "action" button itself.
While some people may rarely use the Action button (if at all), it has become one of the most used features on my iPhone 15 Pro. Honestly, I don't think I can live without it because I'm Xi to it.
But that doesn't mean the "action" button (at least in its current form) is perfect. I really wish the position was more accessible, especially one-handed. I also think Apple can make it more useful by allowing multiple gestures so that you can do multiple actions with it.