Rumors that Apple will remove the camera control button from the iPhone 18 series have recently garnered widespread attention. Earlier reports indicated that Apple had notified suppliers to stop sourcing related components due to low user adoption of the feature and the company's desire to cut hardware costs. If true, the iPhone 17 may be the last model to feature this physical button.
On August 22, a digital blogger revealed that the camera control button on the iPhone 18 series has not been removed, and the related pressure-sensitive module is currently in normal trial production and prototyping. However, to reduce manufacturing and repair costs, Apple is planning to adjust its technical solution—shifting from the current "capacitive + pressure-sensitive" dual-mode design to a single pressure-sensitive technology for all functions. This new solution, similar to the pure pressure-sensitive design used in the OPPO Find X8 Pro and vivo X200 Ultra, uses optimized algorithms to enable multi-level operation recognition, including light touch, hard press, and swipe. This move is expected to significantly reduce hardware costs while also minimizing the failure rate and repair costs associated with capacitive components.
Apple's camera control button, first introduced in the iPhone 16 series, is located on the right side of the phone and supports both pressing and sliding, allowing users to quickly adjust shooting parameters like zoom and exposure.
Analysis indicates that the high cost of the current iPhone camera button is mismatched with its practical value. Furthermore, Apple's originally planned intelligent vision and AI features have yet to be implemented, hindering the button's full potential and exacerbating internal cost pressures. Therefore, optimizing, rather than eliminating, the button is a more logical evolutionary path.
