have shipped iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max cases with a cutout above the volume buttons to expose the ringer switch, instead of a hard button to press the Action Button. The result is the Action Button is recessed below the lip of the case, making it nearly impossible to use unless you contort the tip of your finger to reach it.
It’s a big risk for the case maker to take, but the reward can be huge — smaller companies that can’t afford that risk might not be able to ship their cases until many weeks after phones are in customers’ hands, missing a big opportunity. And when the bet is wrong, it can cost a lot to fix it, both in monetary and environmental terms. The Reddit posts lay out a plan to retool Peak Design’s manufacturing to include the button, but those updated designs won’t be available for four to six weeks. In the meantime, the company is attempting to come up with a retrofit solution for those who bought a case already, and it will likely have to compensate them with a gift card or other monetary value.
If you’ve got an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max and are looking for a good case to go with your new phone, right now the options are quite limited. There’s a good chance the case that fits your style and budget might not support the Action Button well. My recommendation is to buy from a company or store with a good return policy, or perhaps wait a few weeks for the market to shake out and the companies to ship cases with proper buttons on them.
We’re working on a guide to our favorite cases for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max and will publish something once we’ve gotten all of the ones in that we want to test. In the meantime, be safe out there.