Apple's new iPhone 7 solid state home button is supposed to outlive its mechanical predecessors but a user has now reported that the button on their device is failing due to a warning.
The good news is that the Cupertino-based tech giant automatically offers a software workaround for the solid state home button failure on the iPhone 7. Once the device detects that there is a problem with the said part of the smartphone, it warns the user that it may need to be serviced and it also offers a temporary fix.
Mechanical devices or parts in a machine tend to give up over time due to their nature. Apple seems to be transitioning its users to a software button layout to prolong the device's life.
The iPhone 7's iOS 10 warns the user when it detects the solid state home button has a problem which is essentially a safeguard in the event that it fails, 9 to 5 Mac has learned. It posts the "The Home Button May Need Service" status message.
Once the iPhone 7 home button fails, a software onscreen button is presented so that the user can still navigate the UI seamlessly. They can use it for the meantime as they figure out the nearest service center for their device.
What is interesting is that the solid state button should outlast the mechanical buttons but the user's iPhone 7 seems to be already acting up despite being young. The MacRumors forum member "iwayne" posted a photo of their iPhone 7 with the warning message present on the screen.
There could be just a problem with the Taptic Engine inside the iOS 10 and the solid state button may actually work just fine. The communication between the button and the software could have experienced a glitch.
In any case, Apple has not commented on the issue yet. The user has not yet given the iPhone 7 to a certified service center to check what is actually wrong with the device.
Apple could ditch the home button altogether with the iPhone 8 that is expected to feature an OLED screen. The whole display panel could also act as a fingerprint sensor.