Tech

The iPhone has a new button for the first time in 16 years and it's getting rid of the switch it's had since day 1

iPhone 15 Pro
The action button will replace the iPhone's mute button above the volume controls on the iPhone 15 Pro. Apple
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Say goodbye to the ring/silent switch in iPhone 15 Pro — here comes a new button in its place that can do so much more.

With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple's replacing the slider that toggles an iPhone's ringer on and off, replacing it with what it calls a "customizable action button," the company announced at its annual fall iPhone event Tuesday.

Apple has had a ring/silent switch on the side of its phones dating all the way back to the launch of the first-generation iPhone in 2007.

The new action button will still turn your ringer on or off by default — press and hold down the button to do so. But the button can also open other applications: You can start recording a voice memo, open your camera to take a picture, and access your shortcuts.

The customizable action button was first introduced to Apple devices in 2022 as a feature of the high-end Apple Watch Ultra.

Apple first revamped the original mute switch over 10 years ago in 2011 when it moved it to the side of the iPhone 5. The iPhone 15 Pro's action button will be in the same location above the phone's volume controls.

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Sarah Jackson
Sarah Jackson was a senior reporter at Business Insider who covers tech and trending business news, with a focus on the workplace. She has covered The Great Resignation, workplace trends, remote work and RTO, tech layoffs, the job search, and more. Before joining Business Insider in 2021, Sarah also wrote for places like Inc., NBC News, and The Today Show. She received her B.A. in journalism from NYU.Some of Sarah's top stories include:Workers are 'epiphany-quitting' their jobs after the pandemic forced them to rethink everything about their livesJob postings can reveal signs of trouble ahead with a potential employer or role. Here are the red flags that candidates should look for.The 'hushed hybrid' work schedule is the latest way employees are getting around a return to the officeNew York City employers are now required to list salary ranges in their job posts. Here's how that will affect candidates and companies.as-told-to: I do 'Bare Minimum Mondays' at work to help beat the 'Sunday scaries' and avoid burnout. It's completely changed my life and how I approach my job.
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Jordan Hart