iPhone 15 Pro Solid-State Button Sensitivity Can Be Customized to Cater for Cases and Gloves

iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max users will be able to customize the sensitivity of the solid-state buttons on their device, thanks to a new sensitivity toggle in Settings. That's according to details provided by a hitherto reliable source that shared additional details on the MacRumors forums.

iPhone 15 Pro Multi Purpose button Mute Switch Feature Green 2
Earlier this week, the same anonymous tipster revealed that the iPhone 15 Pro models will use a new ultra-low energy chip allowing the new volume, power, and "Action" solid-state buttons to remain functional when the handset is powered off or out of battery.

Some iPhone users immediately raised concerns about how the new capacitive buttons will work properly when a case is fitted or when gloves are worn. In response, the tipster has revealed that iOS 17 will include a new toggle in Settings that will enable users to customize the sensitivity of the buttons to accommodate these different usage scenarios.

iPhone case makers typically receive design details about Apple's upcoming models ahead of launch that allows them to make tweaks for button positioning and other external changes. Combined with the new sensitivity setting, this should avoid any potential issues with the peculiarities of the new capacitive buttons, which will detect presses, holds, and respond to various levels of pressure via the use of a new Force Touch-style mechanism and Taptic Engine feedback.

In line with previous rumors, solid-state capacitive buttons are expected to be exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro models, with the standard iPhone 15 models retaining the same traditional button mechanism as on the iPhone 14 series. The iPhone 15 Pro is also gaining a new customizable Action button in lieu of the mute switch, with a unified volume button replacing the separate up/down volume buttons.

The iPhone 15 series is expected to be announced in September, as per Apple's typical iPhone launch timeframe. For everything else we know about the new iPhone 15 series, check out our dedicated roundups using the links below.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...
Liquid Glass General Feature

Apple Shares Liquid Glass Design Gallery

Thursday November 6, 2025 2:45 pm PST by
Apple is promoting the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, showing off the ways that third-party developers are embracing the aesthetic in their apps. On its developer website, Apple is featuring a visual gallery that demonstrates how "teams of all sizes" are creating Liquid Glass experiences. The gallery features examples of Liquid Glass in apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Apple...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday November 3, 2025 5:54 am PST by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple released iOS 26.1 on Monday, November 3. The update includes a handful of new features and changes, including the ability to adjust the look of Liquid Glass and more. Below, we outline iOS 26.1's key new features. Liquid Glass Toggle iOS 26.1 lets you choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass. In the Settings app, under Display...
airtag purple

Apple's Website Lists AirTag 4-Pack at Shockingly Low Price [Updated]

Friday November 7, 2025 6:40 am PST by
Apple's online store in the U.S. is suddenly offering a pack of four AirTags for just $29, which is the same price as a single AirTag. This is likely a pricing error, and it is unclear if orders will be fulfilled. Apple has not discounted the AirTag four-pack in any other countries that we checked. Delivery estimates are already pushing into late November to early December, suggesting...
Finder Siri Feature

Apple's New Siri Will Be Powered By Google Gemini

Wednesday November 5, 2025 11:57 am PST by
The smarter, more capable version of Siri that Apple is developing will be powered by Google Gemini, reports Bloomberg. Apple will pay Google approximately $1 billion per year for a 1.2 trillion parameter artificial intelligence model that was developed by Google. For context, parameters are a measure of how a model understands and responds to queries. More parameters generally means more...
apple watch se 3 always on

Apple to Remove iPhone-Apple Watch Wi-Fi Sync in EU With iOS 26.2

Thursday November 6, 2025 4:37 am PST by
Apple in iOS 26.2 will disable automatic Wi-Fi network syncing between iPhone and Apple Watch in the European Union to comply with the bloc's regulations, suggests a new report. Normally, when an iPhone connects to a new Wi-Fi network, it automatically shares the network credentials with the paired Apple Watch. This allows the watch to connect to the same network independently – for...
ikea smart home devices

IKEA Debuts 21 HomeKit-Compatible Smart Bulbs, Sensors, and Controls

Thursday November 6, 2025 4:08 pm PST by
IKEA today announced the upcoming launch of 21 new Matter-compatible smart home products that will be able to interface with HomeKit and the Apple Home app. There are sensors, lights, and control options, all of which will be reasonably priced. Some of the products are new, while some are updates to existing lines that IKEA previously offered. There are a series of new smart bulbs that are...
Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple's 2026 Smart Home Revamp: All the Rumors

Wednesday November 5, 2025 3:54 pm PST by
It's been over a decade since Apple's HomeKit smart home platform launched, and it is overdue for an update. HomeKit and the Home app can no longer keep up with AI-powered solutions from other companies like Google and Amazon, but that's set to change with a smart home revamp that Apple has planned for 2026. Home Hub Apple is working on a home hub or "command center" that will serve as a...
apple tv logo physical

New Apple TV Intro Was Made With Practical Effects

Thursday November 6, 2025 7:02 am PST by
The all-new intro sequence for Apple TV was made with practical effects and shot in-camera, Ad Age reports. Rather than using digital techniques, the new sequence was made by shooting large glass versions of the Apple TV logo, with physical motion and changing lighting used to create effects. Apple partnered with TBWA\Media Arts Lab to create the intro. Ad Age released an exclusive look...

Top Rated Comments

Aleh Avatar
34 months ago
People can be so tiring. You don’t have to like the changes but acting willfully ignorant isn’t needed either. These buttons will have new functionality and will be more durable with time and yet we always get all these comments going on about “change for change’s sake” and “solutions in search of problems” and it’s just so bizarre to me.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
andyadler Avatar
34 months ago
Why do I get the feeling that this is a solution in search of a problem?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
34 months ago
That’s great! Reminds me of Touch Bar. But I still want Apple to leave the Mute Button alone.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
akb Avatar
34 months ago
I've used a phone with at least a few physical buttons every day for over 2 decades and never had one fail. You can't replicate the feedback and utility of a physical button with solid state.

This is Apple dangling a pointless upgrade carrot, or a cost saving drive that won't be passed onto the consumer - or both.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mrr Avatar
34 months ago
Hope it works when the battery is dead
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zakarhino Avatar
34 months ago

Why do I get the feeling that this is a solution in search of a problem?
The same argument could be made for 3D touch but in my opinion that actually made certain tasks faster (in particular Peek, one of the most useful features ever). The long press haptic version of Peek is slower and speed is everything especially for power users and young people that use their phones at 1,000mph.

Because these buttons will be pressure sensitive and work in conjunction with haptics you can create a volume rocker that lets you instantly mute without holding down the Volume Down button for a couple seconds. It also means the Volume Up Camera trigger button can operate like a two stage trigger whenever you're taking a picture.

Usually I hate these Apple "innovations" that actually make your life harder (touch bar) but this is the rare instance I get the vision and I'm excited. I think this will end up being a feature loved by a lot doubters but it's all dependent on a rock solid implementation.

Also my initial reaction to the solid state (no rocker) Mute switch was confusion but it makes complete sense. I've seen so many other people like myself on here that hardly ever use the mute switch because we always keep our phones in vibrate mode anyway. Instead I find myself frequently using the Lock Rotation switch. The problem with having a two state hardware rocker switch is that you cannot sync it with a software switch so the only solution is to make a solid state toggle button instead. This new design will let you remap the Mute button into something you use all the time without the out-of-sync issue I mentioned. I suspect Apple will implement a unique taptic 'feel' for 'on' and 'off' respectively so you can figure out the state of the button without actually looking at your phone.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)