Apple’s 2017 iPhone has been in the limelight for quite a while now, with various rumors leaking out intriguing new details about the future handset. One of the most controversial ones was concerned with the home button, namely the lack of one on the smartphone.
This home button-less iPhone may just be true going by a new Bloomberg report. According to a source familiar with the matter, Apple is already hard at work on a major redesign of the device for 2017 that focuses more heavily on the display by eliminating the home button.
This falls in line with previous speculation on the subject which hinted that Apple was looking to implement a single sheet of glass as the front panel. Adopting such a style would necessitate the removal of a separate home button since it works against the brand’s all-glass aesthetic.
Also Read: Apple’s 2017 iPhone to feature curved screen, just like Samsung
It’s not clear yet how the 2017 iPhone will go about making up for the loss of a home button. The as-yet-unreleased iPhone 7 may hold a clue to the manufacturer’s plans once it’s out since the handset apparently implements a 3D Touch home key.
This home button supposedly lies flush with the rest of the iPhone’s body. According to Mac Otakara, the unit won’t depress when pressure is exerted on it. Instead, it’ll respond by providing the user with haptic vibration feedback, just like the MacBook’s Force Touch trackpad.
Other than completely bidding goodbye to the home button, the 2017 iPhone may also see other changes like the introduction of OLED-based curved screens supplied by Samsung.