‘iPhone 7’ Home Button Said to Deploy Force Touch Haptic Feedback

The next generation iPhone’s (iPhone 7 or iPhone 6 SE?) home button won’t physically depress as the one found on the models currently available. It will instead simulate the click, various reports claim (again), as spotted by AppleInsider.

The change aims to serve two main purposes: to make the next generation iPhone more waterproof than ever and possibly to make it even thinner. Japanese blog Mac Otakara points to the report published by Storm media, which once again claims that the home button will be flush and will simulate the click with vibration, adding that its sources confirm that it indeed the case.

The concept of simulating the move was already implemented by Apple on its 12-inch MacBook and the new MacBook Pros: the Force Touch trackpad incorporated in these laptops simulate the feeling of a click instead of a physical depress when pushed.

The Force Touch trackpad, just like the Apple Watch and the 3D Touch display on the iPhone 6s/6s Plus, senses pressure and is able to distinguish a tap from a firm press, AppleInsider reminds. Adding this feature to the home button could make sense if Apple indeed replaces the iconic button with a non-moving one.

In addition, Mac Otakara suggested that Apple will throw one more colour into mix: the next generation iPhone will be also available in a dark shade of black, extending the colour options to five while leaving the currently available colours intact.