With the launch of the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Apple presented a new Action button. It initially looked somewhat redundant as this functionality was already offered with earlier versions of the iPhones where the volume buttons could activate the shutter in the camera app. So, the concept seemed nice but not really needed.
A Growing Appreciation for the Action Button
Though despicable at first, with time, the more I used the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the more I began to like the Action button. It was set up to turn on the torch from the camera flash, which became impressively useful, especially in the case of a large phone. Earlier, the torch was accessible by swiping down the drop-down menu, which got quite fussy and unworkable when the hands are wet. The Action button made life easier.
Nostalgia: Squeezable Sides of Google Pixel
When thinking about older phones, what I miss is the squeezable sides of the Google Pixel 2. It was this feature wherein one could turn on Google Assistant by simply squeezing—not having to say the usual “OK Google.” The mechanism involved strain gauges; actually, it didn’t matter too much precisely how it worked. More importantly, it worked, and provided a seamless user experience. It was then a unique innovative feature that set it apart.
Hardware Innovation Beyond Software Desire
Modern smartphones are very formidable with respect to AI integration and other smart features, but hardware does not seem very innovative. Definitely, there is much space for creativity in hardware design. Of course, those squeezable sides added a quite unique touch to most of the phones available today. This kind of hardware innovation can bring freshness to the user experience, which no amount of software could do.
Future Improvements in Haptics and Touchpoints
Looking into the future, I wish that future handsets really exploit, much more than today, haptics, accelerometers, and other touchpoints to enhance functionality. This would provide users with more choices to use their devices more intuitively and not always through app interfaces. With advancements in AI, this would bring about a greater user experience by having software intelligence paired with hardware innovation.
Hearing the rumors of the release of an iPhone 16, I really want Apple to take some cues from those unique features found in former phones and extend the functionalities of its Action button. Similarly, I am looking forward with interest to what the new Google Pixel 9 Pro will bring along with it in terms of hardware features. Though there are no major design changes speculated, I hope Google adds something that will fire up the excitement and creativity in the best Android phones.
