If you ’re still fight to get used to theAction buttonwhich Apple brought to its Pro iPhones in late 2023 and to the standard models earlier this year , we have bad news : the discovery of a surprising patent program suggests future translation of the iPhone may be equipped withmultiplesuch buttons . We might even get activity buttons on the iPad and Mac .
patent of invention application20240393933was file by Apple back in May but was only print ( and promptly blemish by Patently Apple ) at the close of November . It covers what it mysteriously refers to as “ Devices , method , and graphical exploiter port for configure configurable input realm , ” but it becomes apparent upon further investigation that this means customizable handset buttons .
accompany illustrations show the three ironware button running down the lefthand edge of what appear to be an iPhone . At present , only the topmost of these ( the Action clitoris ) is user - configurable , while the book - up and -down buttons are ( mostly ) locked to those functions . But in the drawings , all three provide this capability : in this image , for example , the volume - down release is being used to call a touch .
Apple
But there ’s an interesting incentive to this story , which is that the Action button may cease to be an iPhone exclusive . “ In some embodiments , ” the letters patent reads , “ the machine is a portable communications machine [ such as ] the iPhone … and iPad . Other portable electronic devices , such as laptops or tablet computers with touching - tender surfaces … are , optionally , used . ”
In other words , get quick Action buttons everywhere ! Or not , as patent natural process , as ever , is not of necessity an index number of future decision , but but shows one path the company has debate ( and wishes to close up its competitors from pursuing ) . It may make up one’s mind that the upgrade would be too costly , or take up too many developmental resources that could be better deploy elsewhere . Or the change may come but take several years to arrive .
