Apple rumoured to remove dedicated Action button from future iPhones

Apple is planning to remove the dedicated Action button from its upcoming iPhone models, according to reports from Digital Trends and MacRumors. The company reportedly intends to merge the features of the Action button directly into the existing Camera Control mechanism for its next generation of devices. [1][2]

MacRumors reported that the details originated from a post on Weibo by the leaker Instant Digital. Under the proposed design, a single press of the consolidated button will open the camera interface, while a long press will trigger the specific shortcut function previously assigned to the Action button. [2]

Apple initially introduced the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro, as noted by Digital Trends. The company later expanded its physical hardware interface by adding the Camera Control button to the iPhone 16 lineup a year afterwards. Android Headlines, Notebookcheck, and MacDailyNews also reported on rumors that the dedicated Action button will be phased out for the company's 20th anniversary iPhone. [1][3][4][5]

Apple announced its first-generation iPhone on January 9, 2007, before releasing the device in the United States on June 29, 2007. More recently, the company announced the entry-level iPhone 17e on March 2, 2026, starting at 599 US dollars for 256 GB of storage before raising the price to 699 US dollars on September 9, 2026. [6][7]