For the 20th anniversary iPhone due in 2027, Apple is developing a solid-state button system as a wholesale replacement for the device's traditional mechanical buttons. That's the latest claim from Weibo account "Instant Digital," and it's not the first of its kind from the Chinese leaker.
Back in 2022, several reports suggested Apple intended to bring solid-state buttons to the iPhone 15 Pro in 2023 as part of "Project Bongo." However, the plan was reportedly canceled at a late stage. They were then rumored to come to the iPhone 16 Pro, before being shelved indefinitely.
Subsequently in April and May this year, Instant Digital claimed that Apple was still investigating haptic buttons for a future iPhone. They even went so far as to suggest that the project is active not just for the iPhone, but for Apple's "entire product line," including iPad and Apple Watch.
Now the leaker claims that solid-state buttons will debut on the 20th anniversary iPhone or "iPhone XX," which will reportedly feature the biggest design shake-up since 2017's iPhone X. According to the leaker, Apple's solid-state button design has completed functional verification, and includes haptic feedback for the Side button, volume buttons, Action button, and Camera Control button.
Solid-state haptic buttons reduce mechanical wear, while enabling users to differentiate between a light press and a firm press to trigger different functions. The current design reportedly integrates buttons directly into the device frame with zero physical movement when pressed. But Apple wants these haptic buttons to feel like real buttons, not like pressing on a ridged piece of metal. Instant Digital speculates that Apple may adopt a vibration-based sound system that uses the back panel or frame to produce audio, combined with an AI-based sound compensation algorithm.
The rumor adds a new dimension to reports that claim Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone could look like a slab of glass with no cutouts and no bezels. Apple is reportedly working on a display that curves down around all four edges of the device for a borderless visual experience.
If Apple truly intends to release such a device, then traditional mechanical buttons – requiring physical openings in the chassis – arguably become design liabilities. Solid-state haptic buttons could elegantly resolve that tension with a visually uninterrupted design.
With a wraparound display, the edges of the screen could potentially merge into the button zones, creating interaction regions that subtly illuminate or shift depending on context – something that would be impossible with mechanical components.
It's an intriguing prospect, but one we'll have to wait for corroboration from other sources before getting too excited about. Until then, the restart of Project Bongo at Apple remains another unconfirmed rumor.
