Apple introduced a new touch-sensitive camera button for the upcoming iPhone 16 series at its recent “Glowtime” event. This button is encased in a smooth texture sapphire crystal and a stainless steel rim.
When you press the button for the first time, it will launch the camera app. You can press it to capture a photo, hold it to start recording a video, and even control zoom by sliding your finger across the button.
Double pressing the camera button lightly will reveal additional controls, such as adjusting the depth of field.
Unlike previous iPhone models where the camera could be accessed through the lock screen icon or the volume key, the new iPhone 16 series will feature the Action Button for camera access.
Users can customize the action button for different functions, like taking selfies, considering its convenient placement on the upper left side of the device.
Furthermore, Apple is opening up the functionality of the camera button to third-party apps, with Snapchat already utilizing it for seamless sharing experiences.
Apple also teased an upcoming update for the camera control, including a two-state shutter that can lock focus and exposure on the subject by lightly pressing the camera button.
With iOS 18’s ability to replace lock screen icons, users can now easily switch to a preferred camera app on the lock screen.
Additionally, the camera control feature will enable visual search through Apple Intelligence, with potential integration with third-party services like Google or ChatGPT.
