iPhone 14 Pro prototype with a haptic volume button surfaces

Apple was rumored to launch the iPhone 15 Pro with haptic volume and power buttons. However, it didn’t happen as the company implemented the same buttons found on the earlier iPhones in the new series. Now, a video of a rare iPhone 14 Pro prototype has surfaced online. This iPhone has a feature that has never been implemented on any iPhone yet – a haptic volume control button – even on the iPhone 16 Pro.

A video of the iPhone 14 Pro prototype shows a haptic volume control button

The newly leaked video of the iPhone 14 Pro prototype shows off a working haptic volume control button. This device also has a power button with the same technology. The device has a singular volume button instead of two, which implements the haptic feedback technology to control the volume.

This all relates to a rumored Apple project called “Bongo”. Under this project, the company was supposed to be testing a haptic volume control button for the iPhone 15 series. The project Bongo has been going on for many years, if the reports are to be believed. However, Apple still isn’t quite ready to add these haptic buttons to the iPhone, suggests the source.

Apple was testing this prototype even before the iPhone 13 series launch

Furthermore, the prototype model includes a serial number. The source claims that the device was built in May 2021. This means that Apple was testing the haptic button features for the iPhones even before the launch of the iPhone 13 series. The leaked video also shows that the solid-state buttons are part of the testing device. The internal components of the phone are nonfunctional, especially the cameras.

There are only a few internal cables that connect the camera components to the logic board. Notably, it is a hybrid logic board that includes parts from the commercial iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro models. Notably, the YouTuber tried to turn on the prototype iPhone, but it didn’t work. That said, let’s hope Apple soon finalizes the haptic button functionality for the iPhone and offers it on the iPhone 17 series models next year.