Apple’s latest beta release for iOS 17.1 introduces a subtle but impactful tweak to the Action Button’s behavior. With the third beta of iOS 17.1, certain functionalities will not activate if the iPhone is inside a pocket or bag. Specifically, if the iPhone detects it is in such an enclosed environment, pressing the Action Button will no longer engage the Camera, Flashlight, Voice Memo, Focus, or Magnifier features.
However, actions that logically might be needed when the iPhone is pocketed, such as the mute function or a specified shortcut, can still be triggered. This requires a longer press on the Action Button.
Previous iterations of iOS 17 and its 17.1 beta allowed all Action Button functionalities to potentially activate while in a pocket, inadvertently leading to unwanted recordings, snapshots, and battery drain.
Even though the Action Button necessitates a prolonged press for activation, numerous users reported unintended triggers when their iPhones were in their pockets. This modification is aimed at curtailing such accidental activations for functions that are redundant when the iPhone is concealed.
It is important to underline that this adjustment is exclusive to the Action Button.
Thus, there remains a possibility to unintentionally activate the Camera or Flashlight from the Lock Screen even when the iPhone is stashed in a pocket.
