Discover the Capabilities of the New iPhone 16 Camera Control Button
Apple previewed the iPhone 16 models today, featuring a new Camera Control button located on the right side of the iPhone under the power button. This button is designed for multiple functions in both landscape and portrait modes when capturing images and videos. The button includes a force sensor and touch sensor to support various gestures:
- Single click: Opens the Camera app (or a third-party app).
- Single click with Camera open: Takes a photo.
- Click and hold: Opens the Camera app and starts a video recording.
- Light press: Opens controls like zoom and locks focus and exposure (feature coming this fall) for reframing shots without losing focus.
- Double light press: Brings up the camera preview menu to select different controls like exposure or depth of field.
- Swipe: Swaps through available adjustment options and changes parameters such as zoom, exposure, or depth of field when a control is selected.
The Camera Control button has extensive software support, allowing users to switch between control functions without needing to access the Camera app manually. The available adjustments include:
- Adjust zoom
- Adjust exposure
- Adjust depth of field
- Swipe through different stylistic options
Third-party developers can also utilize the Camera Control for their apps, including popular social media platforms like Snapchat, to adjust settings.
Later this year, the Camera Control will be compatible with a new visual intelligence feature. This feature will enable users to open the Camera app and point it at objects to receive information with a click and hold gesture. For example, pointing it at a restaurant will display hours and ratings, while pointing it at a plant will identify the species. Pointing the camera at something with a date, like a flyer, will add the date to the Calendar app. The Camera Control will also serve as a gateway to third-party tools, such as searching Google for items to buy or using ChatGPT for problem-solving.
Users will have settings to adjust the double press speed and sensitivity of the button for a light press. The Camera Control button is covered with sapphire crystal and features a smooth texture, surrounded by stainless steel trim. It is slightly inset into the iPhone’s frame, and the force sensor provides haptic feedback to emulate the feel of a DSLR camera shutter.