By Commentary: Expanding the Action button to the standard iPhone would mean a more consistent experience and better multitasking.
Reports suggest that many new features for the iPhone 16 will be exclusive to the Pro models this year. However, if Bloomberg’s often accurate reporting is correct, there’s a good reason to be excited about the standard iPhone 16 as well. This is especially true if it gains the Action button currently found on the iPhone 15 Pro.
The Action button serves as a customizable shortcut that can trigger various actions. Apple offers several options in the iPhone’s settings menu, such as muting the phone, opening the camera, turning on the flashlight, activating the magnifier, translating phrases, recording a voice memo, using an accessibility feature, or switching on Do Not Disturb (or another “Focus” mode of your choice).
As I mentioned last week, the Action button can do even more with the help of Apple’s Shortcuts app. For instance, you can order coffee from Dunkin’ or Starbucks.
Apple rarely adds new buttons to the iPhone, so expanding the Action button to the iPhone 16 would be significant. It would provide a more consistent experience across all iPhone models, making it easier to multitask and switch between apps.
