According to experts, it is rumored that Apple wants to remove buttons from future iPhone models, which could mean smaller devices.

A recently disclosed patent application for a "disappearing button or slider" shows that Apple wants to make controls nearly invisible. A buttonless design could also improve durability. It's part of Apple's ongoing effort to make its devices as minimalist as possible.

“The benefits include having fewer mechanical parts that can break,” James Mitchell, a usability and mobile software researcher at Keele University who previously worked at Apple, said in an email interview. “It can also help the device have a smaller profile because of fewer parts around the edges.”

An obvious goal of Apple's button-free patent is to make devices more durable. Removing buttons makes waterproofing phones easier because there are fewer access points to protect, Mitchell said.