A buttonless design also could improve durability.
Its part of Apples continuing drive to make its devices as minimalist as possible.
Keeping iPhones Safer
One obvious goal of Apples buttonless patent is to make devices tougher.
Marko Geber / Getty Images
Removing buttons makes waterproofing phones more straightforward, as there are fewer entry points to protect, Mitchell said.
“These openings are necessary to accommodate the traditional keys and buttons,” the patent software stated.
But, Mitchell points out, Apple wont necessarily replace the buttons entirely.
Oscar Wong / Getty Images
Oscar Wong / Getty Images
“The iPhone already wakes from sleep when lifting; volume, etc.
can be controlled by software; and gestures already allow for a lot of functionality,” he added.
“The sleep/wake button could be difficult to replace as the rig would require power on.”
You could power on the gadget by connecting a power cable.
The iPhone lost its home button in 2017 with the introduction of the iPhone X.
The Apple mouse has long been sold without the physical controls standard on many mice made for Windows.
Some of Apples minimalist design decisions have been more controversial than others.
The recentMagic Keyboard designs are just too smallfor me because they lack the depth for a decent typing experience.
If Apple does remove buttons from its smartphone, it wont be the first company to do so.
Launched in 2018, theHTC U12 Pluswas among the first phones to only use pressure-sensitive buttons.
A year later, the Chinese phone maker Meizu created a smartphone with no buttons.
TheMeizu Zeroreplaces the buttons with advanced haptics at the side of the machine.
Sentons makes special sensorsthat allow surfaces to be used as virtual buttons on phones and other devices.
The company claims that the gestures mimic in-game maneuvers like aiming and shooting.
“I like to be able to use devices without having to think about it,” he added.
