The Home Button now exists only in history after Apple launched the iPhone 16e. The iPhone 16e emerged on Wednesday as the replacement model for the discontinued budget iPhone SE. Users who wanted Touch ID instead of Face ID could choose the iPhone SE because it maintained its Home Button throughout its three generations. Apple completed its transition to Face ID authentication by eliminating the Home Button across all iPhone models.
The removal of the Home Button has been underway for multiple years. Apple eliminated the Home Button from its flagship iPhones during the iPhone X release in 2017 to introduce Face ID along with gesture-based navigation. The iPad Pro series experienced an earlier removal of the Home Button before other iPad models. Apple discontinued the sale of its ninth-generation 10.2-inch iPad in May 2024, thus ending the production of Home Button-equipped iPads. The tenth-generation iPad combines Touch ID with its top button while switching to USB-C charging instead of using the Lightning port.
The introduction of the iPhone 16e marks the final stage for all Apple products equipped with Lightning ports. Apple made its USB-C transition because the European Union required all smartphone manufacturers to adopt a single universal charging standard. All Apple products from the iPad to the MacBook and iPhone now use USB-C ports, which creates a seamless charging system for the entire Apple product range.
When Apple launched the original iPhone in 2007, the Home Button established itself as a signature design element that Apple would use across their products. The Home Button received Touch ID capabilities from Apple in 2013 as the company introduced its fingerprint authentication system. Users can still access Touch ID functionality through their select iPad models even though the physical Home Button has been removed.
Apple has finished its process of eliminating buttons from the iPhone interface through this change. The nostalgic desire for the Home Button exists among users, but Apple continues its path toward modern design without any indications of slowing down.
