Apple plans glass slab iPhone revolution
Apple plans to simplify buttons across its next two smartphone generations, starting with changes to camera controls in the iPhone 18 and culminating in solid-state technology across the iPhone 20. A Weibo user named Setsuna Digital said the company will remove the capacitive layer from camera buttons next year while keeping pressure sensors that detect taps, presses and swipes.
The iPhone 20 arriving in 2027 will replace mechanical volume keys, power switches and camera controls with solid-state alternatives that use haptic feedback to simulate button presses. The technology reduces component wear and lowers repair costs while supporting Apple’s reported plan for an edge-to-edge display that wraps around all four sides, with no bezels or cutouts.
Current iPhone 17 models use camera buttons with capacitive and pressure sensors under sapphire crystal surfaces. Chinese manufacturers Oppo and Vivo already deploy similar pressure-sensing systems in their X8 Ultra and X200 Ultra devices.
