Apple Developing Solid-State, Haptic Buttons for iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad, Tipster Claims

Apple has resumed its efforts to upgrade the iPhone with solid-state, haptic buttons, according to a tipster. The company's initiative to replace the mechanical buttons on its smartphones could also be expanded to the Apple Watch and the iPad. In 2022, reports claimed that the first handset from the company to feature haptic buttons would be the iPhone 15, but the company's plans were shelved due to manufacturing issues. The company's previous iPhone models with a Touch ID sensor have been equipped with a haptic Home button.

Apple's Project Bongo Initiative Working on Fixing 'Mistouches'

A tipster known as Instant Digital (translated from Chinese) states in a Weibo post that Apple is working on bringing haptic buttons to its "whole product line". The leaker previously claimed that the company had restarted work on its Project Bongo initiative, and has now claimed that Apple is exploring the addition of tactile buttons on the iPad and the Apple Watch.

Photo Credit: Screenshot/ Weibo

Bringing solid state buttons to the iPhone and other products have several advantages, and the most notable one is improved durability — the "button" does not have any moving parts. Another advantage is the ability to detect when a solid-state button is pressed firmly or lightly, and perform different actions accordingly.

If the tipster's claims are accurate, the company has resumed working on haptic buttons for the iPhone, months after the project was reportedly shelved due to production challenges. TF Securities International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously predicted the iPhone 15 series would feature upgraded buttons. The iPhone 16 was also tipped to arrive with these buttons last year.

While the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 didn't arrive with haptic buttons, Instant Digital says that this delay was not due to manufacturing issues. Instead, Apple has been working on preventing accidental touches and offering the feedback provided by a physical button, according to the tipster.

Apple has already added haptic buttons to older iPhone models, ranging from the iPhone 7 to the iPhone SE (2022). These handsets featured a solid-state button that provided tactile feedback using the haptic engine inside the smartphone.

Even if Apple manages to solve existing issues with haptic buttons, it's unclear when Apple plans to introduce these buttons on its smartphones. Users might have to wait for a couple of years before the company introduces new products equipped with tactile, solid-state buttons — possibly the iPhone 18 or iPhone 19 series in 2026 or 2027, respectively.