Apple may release iPhone without physical buttons

Apple received patent to a new technology that will allow the company to release a smartphone without any physical keys, while still allowing the device to be operated like before.

For this, the sensors are planned to be placed under the metal of the side surfaces, and the touch will be read due to small holes that will not attract attention and seem to be located in the same places where they are now physically buttons.

A similar solution has already been implemented in Mac mini: when the device is turned on, an LED on the case lights up, and when the device is turned off, the status indicator disappears, as if there were no light bulbs. Only now this trick is planned to be cranked not with an LED indicator, but with a touch sensor, most of which will be similarly hidden from view.

Judging by the text of the patent application, such touch buttons are designed not only to make the body of a smartphone more aesthetically pleasing, but also eliminate the possibility of dust and moisture getting into the case through moving parts constructions. Also, touch buttons, unlike mechanical ones, will not wear out, and it will be much more difficult to damage them.

In theory, such control can be added not only to the iPhone, but also to the HomePod or any other device - until as long as it is obvious to the user which part of the body needs to be touched to change the necessary settings.