Apple set to remove Home button from iPhone 5 and iPad 2

The introduction of multitouch gestures in the new iOS 4.3 will coincide with the removal of the only physical button present on the front of the iPad and the iPhone, sources close to the matter have told BGR.

The site adds that the iPad will be the first to lose the button and that the iPhone will be the next on the list; it is likely that the iPod Touch will follow suit.

Instead, multitouch gestures will be used to access the home screen and to launch the app switcher. It is likely that the multitouch gestures settings will be customisable as well.

Button-less devices are apparently already being tested on Apple's Campus in Cupertino and the changes may happen as early as this year.

The Home button can currently be configured to access and control a number of the iOS accessibility features, such as toggling VoiceOver on and off. It is unclear how the switch to multitouch gestures will impact upon those who rely on the Home button for quick and easy access to these accessibility settings.