Apple might change the iPhone 20's buttons, but the most useless button will remain.

Apple will redesign the buttons on its future phones, including the one nobody uses.

The Camera Control button on the iPhone 18 may feature a simplified design, marking the start of Apple's button redesign. The current button uses capacitive and pressure sensors beneath a sapphire crystal surface to recognize gestures.

The updated design will eliminate the capacitive sensor layer, keeping only the pressure sensor. This change aims to lower the button's production cost for the iPhone 18, while still offering the same features.

This type of redesign is not innovative, as other devices already use a single sensor for similar functions. The Oppo X8 Ultra and Vivo X200 Ultra, for example, use only pressure sensors to support taps, presses, and slide gestures.

Apple has experience with virtual buttons. The company's laptop trackpads simulate clicks, and many MacBook users may not realize the trackpads do not physically click. This approach could be applied to the iPhone, with Apple potentially replicating the same effect.