In the current smartphone landscape, it’s all too tempting to feel like every device is identical to its rivals. Big, tall screen? Check. Flat edges to create a boxier design? Check. A multitude of camera lenses on the back? Unless you’re picking up the iPhone 16e this weekend, you better believe it. For as much as Google loves to promote Android as the platform of “choice,” plenty of those choices have dried up over nearly two decades of our modern smartphone age. And that makes the small differences between every modern Android device stand out that much more.

That’s right: This weekend, I’m not talking about photo quality, AI features, or even color options between smartphones. I’m talking about one very, very niche attribute: buttons. Unless you’re rocking HTC’s weird (and pretty terrible) U12 Plus in 2025 — and I’m pretty sure you aren’t — your smartphone has at least three physical buttons on it. A power button is practically universal, and while you might be able to argue a combined volume rocker is just one button, it certainly performs two unique actions.

But these days, we’re starting to see buttons make a bit of a comeback. While the vast majority of modern Android phones limit their physical controls to power and volume, shortcut keys are definitely on trend again. Sure, the 2010s saw no shortage of extra buttons — from the Facebook key on HTC’s ChaCha and Salsa to the Bixby button on the Galaxy S8, S9, and S10 series — but it’s something that’s sorely been lacking from 2020s-era flagships. Aside from niche devices like Motorola’s 2023 ThinkPhone, I’m struggling to think of a mainstream example, and even Lenovo dropped that red shortcut key on its 2024 successor.

Settings for the ThinkPhone's red key shortcut button

Some of you might have more buttons though, and frankly, I’m jealous of you. Whether you’ve kept your Galaxy S10 and its Bixby button in your pocket since 2019, or you’ve hopped over Apple’s walled garden to check out the iPhone 16, extra buttons are all the rage these days. As I’ve previously ranted about in reviews and editorials alike, buttons could go a long way on Android, where typically, customization is king. The iPhone’s Action button and Camera Control are pretty flawed in practice, with both featuring some pretty massive shortcomings. Why not show Apple how it’s done?

Thankfully, it looks like we might be moving that way. The Nothing Phone 3a has a launch event scheduled for next week, and thanks to some big leaks, we know all about its new Essential Key. As promising as Nothing’s new Essential Space looks, I’m really hoping the company allows that button to be customized to control anything. At the very least, I’m hoping Nothing doesn’t prevent any sort of user-based remapping through third-party apps.

But what about larger brands, like Samsung and Google? These days, both companies are trying to utilize the power button to do, well, a little too much. Power controls, Gemini access, potentially even wallet access — that single button is feeling a little overwhelmed these days. Taking a note out of Apple’s playbook could help alleviate some of that pressure.

So, what do you think? Are you interested in more buttons on your smartphone? Or are physical shortcuts just not something worth being interested in? Maybe you only care if these keys are programmable, or maybe you’ll take all the buttons you can get. Either way, sound off using the poll below, and feel free to expand in the comments.