Apple may be preparing to eliminate the iPhone’s dedicated Action button, replacing it with a long-press shortcut built into the existing Camera Control button.
The two buttons could be combined into a single physical control on future iPhones, potentially beginning with models released in the second half of 2027.
That would leave the iPhone with one fewer button while preserving the customizable shortcuts users already rely on.
How the Combined Camera Control Button Would Work
Under the proposed design, Camera Control would handle two different actions depending on how it’s pressed.
A quick press would continue to launch the Camera app, while pressing and holding the button would activate the shortcut previously assigned to the Action button.
That means users could still access functions such as Silent mode, Focus, the flashlight, or custom Shortcuts without needing a separate button.
The arrangement would also feel familiar. Camera Control already opens the camera with a quick press, while the Action button requires a long press to activate.
Combining those behaviors could simplify the iPhone’s physical controls without introducing an entirely new gesture.
What Happens to Visual Intelligence?
One complication is that Camera Control’s long-press gesture currently activates Visual Intelligence, letting users identify objects and get information about their surroundings.
Giving that gesture to the Action button’s customizable shortcut would create a conflict.
However, Apple may already have an alternative.
With iOS 27, Visual Intelligence became accessible directly through the Camera app’s Siri mode, giving users another way to activate the feature.
That could allow Apple to repurpose Camera Control’s long press without removing Visual Intelligence entirely.
The idea also raises questions about how existing Camera Control features would work, particularly given the button’s mixed reception since its introduction.
Some users have criticized its placement and complexity, while others have reported accidentally activating it when handling their phones.
Giving the button a second, more customizable purpose could make it more useful, although it wouldn’t necessarily address those complaints.
Apple Has Already Removed the Action Button From One iPhone
The iPhone Duo, released in October, retains Camera Control but omits the Action button.
That design shows Apple is willing to simplify the physical button arrangement, although it doesn’t confirm plans to make the same change across the rest of its lineup.
The Action button first appeared on the iPhone 15 Pro in 2023, replacing the traditional Ring/Silent switch.
Apple later expanded it to additional models, giving users a customizable shortcut for frequently used features.
Removing it would represent another significant change to the iPhone’s physical design after just a few generations.
The Change Could Arrive With the 2027 iPhone Lineup
The redesigned button arrangement could debut on iPhones launching in the second half of 2027.
That timing would coincide with Apple’s anticipated 20th-anniversary iPhone lineup, which is expected to bring more substantial hardware changes.
Whether Apple extends the simplified button layout across the entire lineup or reserves it for certain models remains unclear.
Apple hasn’t confirmed plans to eliminate the Action button, but the iPhone Duo already offers a glimpse of what an iPhone without one looks like.
