Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone could take a radical step away from physical controls, according to a new claim from Chinese leaker "Instant Digital." Expected to launch in 2027, the "iPhone XX" may replace all mechanical buttons with solid-state haptic alternatives.
The leaker says Apple has completed functional verification on a design that integrates haptic feedback into the Side button, volume buttons, Action button, and Camera Control. The buttons would presumably sit flush with the frame and have zero physical movement when pressed, while sophisticated haptics create the illusion of a real click.
This isn't Apple's first attempt at the technology. "Project Bongo" was supposed to bring solid-state buttons to the iPhone 15 Pro in 2023, then the iPhone 16 Pro, before being shelved both times. But Instant Digital insists the project is alive again, and this time Apple has designs on introducing the buttons to its entire product line.
The timing makes sense if other rumors hold true. Apple is reportedly planning a wraparound display for the 20th anniversary model, which could resemble a glass slab with no bezels and no cutouts. Traditional mechanical buttons however would punch holes in that vision quite literally.
Instead, the screen edges could blend seamlessly into button zones that light up or shift based on context and pressure sensitivity. It's an ambitious idea. Whether Apple can actually pull it off remains to be seen, but the company has a history of killing off things we think we need.
