I still remember that presentation of the original iPhone. Steve Jobs on stage and a whole new world to discover. There were so many different things: the touch screen, an innovative operating system… From that iPhone to the one we have today, many things have changed, but during all these years, something has remained intact.
We are talking about the silence cursor, this little side tab which allowed us to put the iPhone in silent mode at any time and in record time. Who hasn’t done it out of pocket, right? We must keep in mind that in those first iPhones there was not even a Do Not Disturb mode, so it was one of the most used buttons and functions.
iPhone 16 says goodbye to the silent tab
This change started with the iPhone 15 Pro, but it was the first to feature the action button. the iPhone 15 still had it. And while the iPhone 15, 14, and SE are still on sale, none of the new iPhones presented will have this button anymore. The only possibility would be with the iPhone SE 4, we will know in the spring if Apple still has room for this silent tab.
In exchange, we have an action buttonwhich is much more customizable and, if desired, you can leave it the same function: silence the iPhone or not. However, this function of putting it in silent mode from your pocket and knowing even without looking if it is activated or not has been lost. I’m not saying that I prefer the mute slider over the mute slider. the action button just for that, but yes we will miss you.
Doing just one thing is very limited in 2024
Let’s go back almost 20 years. And yes, that’s almost what happened since the presentation of the first iPhone. Almost no one had any experience using a smartphone.and having a physical button for something as necessary as putting the iPhone on silent was a necessity. People weren’t used to receiving notifications on our previous phones, little more than a few calls and text messages. With the iPhone, we could already receive emails and, later, essential messaging apps like WhatsApp would arrive.
NOW, with the action button, a response is given to the company and today’s users: greater customization and above all more features. The action button allows us to turn on the flashlight up to running a full shortcut to talk to ChatGPT. Needs that did not exist a few years ago.
The camera control button also has a lot to say
The arrival of touch screens seems to herald the end of physical buttons. In fact, Many cars have replaced manual controls with a screenand they finally realized that it was a mistake. The best thing is the combination of the two technologies, and the camera control button is a great representation of that.
A dedicated camera button, but smart, like the action button. Combining this initial need of the original iPhone with Steve Jobs adapted to current iPhones. A button that will gain functionality over timelike visual search with Apple Intelligence and third-party app integration.
Saying goodbye to the mute cursor marks the end of an era, one of those little things that, even if they seemed insignificant, have become an integral part of our daily routine. It was an almost instinctive gesture, a simple movement. that was always there when we needed it. But times change, and with them the devices we use change too. The action button not only takes its place, but reinvents it and offers us more possibilities.
This is the natural cycle of technology: something is happening, something new is coming. And while we say goodbye to the old slider with some nostalgia, we also welcome a button that promises much more. Ultimately, it’s these small changes that remind us that progress doesn’t stop.
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