Is This the End of the iOS Home Button?

There are rumors that the iOS home button may be disappearing soon. Apple’s latest smartphone, the iPhone 6S, hinted significant design adjustments for future generations which may also mean swapping out the physical home button that users have been accustomed to for many years.

In 2007, the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, particularly the single button that appeared on the front of the device. Jobs, who believed in the simplicity of Apply designs, revealed that there is only one button on the front, referred to as the home button. He added that it will take users home from whichever program or app they currently are on. It was a simple yet very functional and radical approach and design, CNet wrote.

Even today, the home button is still the centerpiece for navigation among Apple smartphones and tablets. The feature has set the company apart from others since its inception, and others learned to follow the example in the past several years.

On September 25, 2015, the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus will go on sale, which hinted that it might be the end of the home button. The new smartphones particularly introduced the pressure-sensitive touchscreen featuring Force Touch technology as well as the added use of the voice-activated Siri virtual assistant. These can pave the way for new advanced feature that might reduce the need for the reliable home button.

CNet said that there are good reasons for Apple to remove the home button, such as providing more space in front. Future iPhones might feature bigger displays without compromising navigability. An iPhone without a home button will also give it a sleeker and cleaner appearance, which Apple has always aimed for.

Apple may not launch a buttonless iPhone anytime soon, considering how it is still raking in huge sales from the current iPhone models. Taking out the home button will mean a giant transformation for one of its main products. Not all users might find the adjustment beneficial or to their liking. Tech Radar stated a few reasons why Apple should not remove its home button. First, it sets the product apart from its Android competitors. The home button also lets users click without the need to look at their phones every time. The approach is more difficult with an onscreen button. Finally, physical buttons are still more reliable than onscreen buttons when toggling.

“It would certainly be a radical change to the way iPhones look. But Apple isn’t averse to making these big changes either,” said Jan Dawson, an analyst at Jackdaw Research.