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Since the iPhone 15 Pro, the action button has been located on the left side of the iPhone, but it is expected to disappear again with the new models in the second half of 2027. A leaker from China claims that Apple will combine it with the camera controls into a single button. An iPhone without an action button, but with camera controls, already exists.
The claim originates from a post by leaker Instant Digital on Weibo. According to him, Apple will discontinue the action button starting with the new iPhones in the second half of 2027 and integrate its function with the camera controls. This affects the generation that includes the anniversary model, the iPhone 20.
The leaker explicitly clarifies which of the two buttons is meant: the action button will be removed, the camera control will remain.
Key Facts at a Glance
- According to a leaker on Weibo, the action button will be removed from the new iPhones in the second half of 2027.
- Its function will be integrated into the camera control: a short press opens the camera, a long press triggers the action.
- The article contains no evidence; a second source has not yet been found.
- Apple already did away with the action button on the iPhone Duo, but retained the camera controls.
One button for two tasks
According to the article, the controls will work as follows: A simple press of the camera control opens the camera as before. Holding the button down triggers the function that is currently assigned to the action button.
The action button already only responds when pressed and held. However, the long press on the camera controls is already assigned a function: it launches Visual Intelligence, and in the Camera app, it starts video recording. While the camera controls' functions can be customized in the settings, Apple would need to reassign the long press function for its new purpose.
The iPhone Duo already works without it
This move wouldn't be entirely unprecedented. The iPhone Duo has camera controls, but no action button. Apple has already released an iPhone without the button that replaced the ring/mute switch on the iPhone 15 Pro. However, the camera controls don't take over the functions of the action button.
How reliable is the report?
Instant Digital regularly comments on Apple's plans on Weibo. He had previously described the dark red color of the iPhone 18 Pro, although it was released under a different name: Burgundy. In May, the same leaker reported that Apple's mechanically inert buttons for the anniversary model had passed initial practical tests.
The current article consists of only a few sentences; it cites no document, supplier, or second source. It is therefore an assertion, not evidence.
Regarding camera control, the same leaker had already commented in October 2025: Apple was supposed to forgo the capacitive sensor layer of the button in the iPhone 18 and solve the operation solely via the pressure sensor in order to save costs.
I think the idea is plausible. The iPhone Duo shows that Apple is willing to do without the action button.
I'm still not thrilled about this change. My action button has been assigned to music recognition with Shazam since day one, and I use it far more often than the camera controls. That's exactly what I miss on the iPhone Duo. While you can work around it via the lock screen, it's not exactly a quick way to grab the button. So, if I happen to have my iPhone 18 Pro Max with me, I prefer to use that for music recognition.
According to the article, if the function were to move to the long press of the camera control, it would still be retained. However, the hand would then move to the other side of the iPhone, to a button that is actually intended for the camera.
How do you use the action button today, and would you miss it if its function were transferred to camera control in the future? Let us know in the comments what you assign to the button.
