Since November of last year, rumors have been piling up about a key new feature on the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max, namely the disappearance of the mechanical buttons on the edges, replaced by invisible "touch" surfaces, similar to the Home button of the iPhone 7 and 8. A change that would notably have improved the sturdiness and water resistance of smartphones.
iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max, side physical buttons return
However, according to knowledgeable Taiwanese analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the feature was canceled at the last moment during the Engineering Verification Test, or EVT (Engineering Verification Test) phase. Information corroborated by Jeff Pu, another renowned analyst. This EVT procedure is reserved for products that are almost finished, to test their last details for correct operation. Apparently, technical problems prevented the validation of these new buttons.
Suddenly, the iPhone 15 Pro will have the same mechanical buttons as before, and according to Kuo this last minute change will have only a limited impact on the production of the iPhones and their release date.