Apple has removed the button that was on the very first iPhone in 2007: what has been replaced in the iPhone 15 Pro
Apple has replaced the ringer/vibration switch that has existed in iPhones since their inception with a new button. This is an action button that allows you to customize its actions, including switching from ringing to vibrating. This new “Action Button” is similar to the one on the Apple Watch Ultra.
The action button, which replaces the ringer/vibrate switch, can be programmed to do things like activate the camera, start recording, open a note, or launch custom shortcuts. The default button switches the iPhone between ringing and vibrating, which is vital because it replaced the ring/vibrate switch that Apple has included in the iPhone since its debut in 2007. You can feel the tactile feedback when it changes.
Those who would like to silence their iPhones by flipping a switch in their pocket by feel can still do so, as the button is in the same location and doesn’t have to be reprogrammed. But if you need a real switch, the regular iPhone 15 still has one.
On the Apple Watch Ultra, the action button is large, visually prominent, and colored orange, while on the iPhone, it is about the size of the ringer/vibration switch it replaced and matches the color of the phone.
The Action Button, while subtle, is one of the few visually noticeable changes to the iPhone’s appearance in years – along with the new USB-C port at the bottom of the device.
