Next year's iPhone Pro may drop the Action button, leak says

A new leak says next year's iPhone Pro models may not have an Action button. The claim comes from a leaker called Instant Digital on the Chinese site Weibo, as reported by 9to5Mac. It is a rumor. Apple has not confirmed anything.

What the leak says

The post says the Camera Control button would stay. A standard press would still open the Camera app. A long press would offer Action button-like features, so the old button's job would not disappear completely.

The timing fits other talk about 2027, the iPhone's 20th anniversary. Apple is rumored to plan a bold redesign, much like the iPhone X in 2017. The Pro models are also rumored to get curved screens that wrap around the edges, and larger screens.

Who it affects

People who rely on the Action button for shortcuts may have to trigger them a different way. When iPhone Duo dropped the button, some users were disappointed that its flexibility was lost. 9to5Mac's Chance Miller said he would gladly give up Camera Control to keep the Action button.

What is not known

It is unclear how the long press would work, or whether it would be as flexible as the Action button. The leak is also unproven. For now, nothing changes on any iPhone you can buy.