When the original Alien film was created in the late 1970s, director Ridley Scott and artist H.R. Giger concluded that “no eyes is scarier.” They were specifically discussing the design of the alien creature and chose to create the deadly Xenomorph without eyes on its “face.” This decision has haunted our dreams for nearly 50 years, indicating that they made the right choice.
A similar conversation is likely taking place today in Cupertino:
Should we design an iPhone without buttons?
Excuse me, the question is never “should we create that thing,” but always “can we create it.” The “should we” phase comes later, just like with any other creation by humanity. Over the years, we, the public, have been privy to bits of the discussion regarding the buttonless iPhone at Apple’s headquarters. There were rumors that the iPhone 15 lineup would include such a device.
It was the renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who suggested this as far back as 2022:
- Buttonless iPhone 15 models will be released in 2023
However, that did not occur. In fact, things took a turn in the opposite direction when the iPhone 15 debuted the Action button on the Pro models. This year, Apple reinforced this trend with the launch of the new iPhone 16 lineup, which features an additional button for camera control.
As a result, it appears that other brands are also beginning to follow Apple’s lead:
- Similar to the notch, the camera control button of the iPhone 16 is already being replicated.
However, Apple has likely not abandoned the concept of a phone with fewer physical buttons and ports:
- Hints from the iPhone 16 firmware recovery suggest that a portless iPhone may be on the horizon.
Although technological innovations are generally embraced, I believe that a buttonless, portless iPhone may not be as enjoyable. Instead, I fully support the idea of adding more buttons to our devices, and I think the industry’s choice to follow Apple’s lead is a sound strategy.
Something needs to change.
It’s true that many of us are quite content with our candy bar phones as they stand. One could argue that they are nearly perfected. Flagship models are incredibly fast, powerful, and capable.
Significant upgrades tend to occur not annually, but rather every two years or more.
This is not ideal for phone manufacturers, especially since brands strive to portray themselves as perpetually innovating.
Given Apple’s current hesitance to join the foldable phone market, it’s not surprising that they are opting for a sleek device with fewer buttons and ports. Whether this approach proves practical or not is secondary; the key takeaway is that it’s something new.
However, Apple isn’t the only contender aiming for a buttonless smartphone. Recent rumors suggest that Apple may find itself in competition with Xiaomi in this arena.
Sources familiar with Xiaomi’s plans claim that the Chinese company will unveil a buttonless phone concept early next year. This device could be a high-end model featuring Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 chipset.
Additionally, this mysterious Xiaomi phone may include an under-display selfie camera that is reportedly superior to similar offerings from Samsung or ZTE. While navigating a phone without physical buttons may seem daunting, Xiaomi has likely created a range of input methods to seamlessly take the place of traditional power and volume buttons, as well as other features usually found on the sides of a smartphone.
If I could do things my way.
Having a dedicated camera control button is excellent, as I’ve previously mentioned. To emphasize this point, I would appreciate it if there were an additional physical key to further enhance the photography experience.
However, that’s just my personal preference, and phone manufacturers aren’t designing devices solely to meet my needs and desires. Therefore, we need to strike a balance between usability and aesthetics.
I recognize that a device without buttons or ports would look stunning. However, I can easily imagine feeling stressed after just a few minutes of using such a device when I unintentionally open five apps, activate the flashlight, and disable notifications simply by reaching into my pocket.
Additionally, I am currently opposed to the idea of a portless phone; charging such a device on the go would be incredibly inconvenient. At least with my current phone, I can recharge my battery at a bar, as there’s a 90% chance they have a USB-C charger available instead of a wireless charger.
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