Of all the phones released in 2024, I don’t think anyone would have predicted it would be this many. iPhone 16 will lead the industry with a multitude of buttons pasted all over a device. While Android phones have mostly abandoned hotkeys, Apple hasn’t even added one, but two New buttons to iPhone since 2023 refresh. Meanwhile, most mainstream Android devices stick to a simple combination of power and volume buttons, leaving the company with physical shortcuts. I had previously considered leaving these hardware keys alone.

The thing is, I don’t think Apple has done a particularly impressive job adding new buttons to the iPhone, leaving room for its closest rivals to develop and improve on what are, in theory, two good concepts. In fact, I think there’s plenty of room for an Android OEM to take over and show Apple how it’s done, referencing legacy products from years ago.

The buttons of the iPhone 16 are quite inadequate in practice

Too much and too little control at the same time

If you’ve completely removed yourself from Apple’s hype cycle and find yourself currently reading an Android-centric site, it’s entirely fair that the entire iPhone 16 lineup includes two buttons, both relatively new additions. Both are clever ideas that, on paper, exist to please the power users among us. However, in practice I have found each to be quite disappointing and for completely opposite reasons.

Action button first iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max in 2023Before it rolled out to all four iPhone 16 models earlier this year. This button is capable of performing a single programmable task with a long press, its functionality being determined at the initial setup stage or in the settings menu. You can turn on your flashlight, Shazam music, launch the Siri Shortcut, or enable silent mode; the latter mimics the mute button it replaces.

The problem with the action button is flexibility. There is no way to perform multiple tasks, no double or single click option. Whatever you choose, you’re limited to one action at a time. Considering that iOS 18 came and went without any changes to this behavior, and unlike Android, it’s not possible for third-party apps to easily take control of this tool, so don’t expect these limitations to change anytime soon.

Then there’s Camera Control. Apple’s latest button bypassed the year’s usual Pro exclusive by arriving on all four iPhone 16 models at once in September. This key is both mechanical and capable, providing quick access to the camera with a single or double tap (depending on whether the screen is on or not). Once in the viewfinder, you can half-click to focus or adjust image settings like exposure and full-click to take a shot.

Unlike the action button, Camera Control is packed to the brim with features, but doesn’t add anything beyond what the touchscreen offers. Navigating display settings using an actual button is a great idea in theory; an idea inspired by the type of specialized cameras that smartphones have largely replaced in the mainstream. Unfortunately, in almost all cases it’s both too complicated and too restrictive to actually add anything to the photo-taking experience; You’re better off just touching the screen.

Physical shortcuts have a long and varied history on Android

And now it’s time to look at these examples

Frankly, I think Apple’s current collection of hardware keys is surprisingly flawed, but that doesn’t mean I hate the idea of ​​extra buttons on the face. The iPhone’s Action button and Camera Control are paving the way for leading Android companies Google, Samsung and Motorola to consider adding new buttons to their own smartphones. Actually, I’ve been screaming about this for over a yearand the addition of another center button to the iPhone has me doubling down.

Hardware buttons and other physical shortcuts have a very long history in Android; one of which is too detailed to be fully revealed in such a piece. Motorola’s 2023 ThinkPhone kept a customizable hotkey around, but the company dropped it in its upcoming release (and disappointing on paper) heir Samsung’s Bixby button It started life as physical access to everyone’s seventh favorite virtual assistant and eventually evolved into a more standard, customizable control. It didn’t survive the turn of the decade or Samsung’s shifting attention.

Not every example is this clear. OnePlus phones have never moved away from a fairly standard button layout, but the three-way alert slider has long offered its user base a quick and easy way to switch between ring modes. OnePlus Open Apex Editionthe ability to activate a rather useless VIP Mode. And then there’s Google, which uses compressible aspects of everything (surprisingly useful utility If you ask me, back in the Pixel 2 days, the touchable rear glass was a tool that Snapchat continues to try to convince me to use to this day.

Don’t worry, Sony fans I didn’t forget you. While Apple certainly hopes you’ll consider Camera Control as another innovative step into the future, AP readers know all too well that the physical shutter button is still a hallmark of the beloved Xperia series. And none of this even takes into account the early days of Android, when QWERTY keyboards and physical navigation buttons ruled the land. If you were a fan of physical controls, you didn’t know how good you had it.

Buttons should be powerful and customizable at the same time

And only Android phone manufacturers know how to strike the right balance

I don’t bring up these examples to make a point about Apple’s sense of innovation (or lack thereof) in its current hardware. On the contrary, I think the interest in hotkeys, shutter buttons, and other physical, tactile controls is still there, and it’s time for Android OEMs to move towards that. Apple’s poor approach to buttons has left a huge gap for companies like Google and Samsung to return this functionality to their smartphones. I hope they take this on.

These days, phone manufacturers are trying to turn your smartphone into the equivalent of a laptop, whether through the superior performance of the chip that powers it or a massive display that can fold into a pocketable form factor. It’s high time these manufacturers lean into this power user fantasy rather than trying to force every action into a button or gesture on the screen.

Take Circle to Search for example. Google decided to hide its latest attempt to make Lens an object behind a long press on the gesture bar. However, in devices like this Galaxy Z Fold 6this action has already accomplished something hiding the taskbar and now I find myself accidentally triggering it all the time. Similarly, Gemini crashes with a long press on the power button, just like Assistant. I can’t help but wonder if I could get more use out of a private key, especially if it supports quick activation of Gemini Live. Or, staying away from AI, why not implement a dedicated desktop mode switch for foldables and tablets? Imagine having DeX mode on the computer Galaxy Tab S10+ Can it be fired by long pressing a certain button?

At the end of the day, Android is designed to be a platform that works best when it focuses on customizability and personalization. I can’t think of a better way to introduce these two elements to fans than by adding more hardware buttons to future phones. Although I have listed a few examples above, I would like to emphasize that these are just examples. In my perfect world, the possibilities of additional buttons on Android phones would be left entirely up to users.

Whether it’s a hotkey that can perform one of a variety of routine tasks by turning on the flashlight, activating the do not disturb feature, or a camera button designed to emulate point-and-shoot functionality, bringing back physical keys can only offer a more powerful experience. Android fans. As long as companies like Samsung and Google learn from Apple’s shortcomings.