The Camera Control button is one of the notable highlights in the design of the newly launched iPhone 16 series.
All versions of the newly launched iPhone 16 series have a new Camera Control button located on the right side of the device, below the power button. The Camera Control button can be used for a number of different functions when taking photos and recording videos.
Apple says the Camera Control button can work in both landscape and portrait mode and has built-in force and touch sensors to support a variety of gestures.
✓ Single Tap - Open the Camera app (or third-party app).
✓ Tap once while the camera app is open - Take a photo.
✓ Tap and hold - Open Camera app, start recording video.
✓ Light Press - Opens controls like zoom. This button will also lock focus and exposure to reframe the shot without losing focus.
✓ Double tap - Brings up the camera preview menu to select different control options like exposure or depth of field.
✓ Swipe - Switch between available adjustment options and also change parameters like zoom, exposure or depth of field when selecting a control.
This button has in-depth software support, so you can also switch between control functions without having to manually go into the Camera app:
✓ Adjust zoom
✓ Adjust exposure
✓ Adjust depth of field
✓ Swipe through different style options
Third-party app developers will be able to leverage the Camera Control feature for their apps to adjust settings, and the feature will be compatible with social media apps like Snapchat.
Later this year, Camera Control will be able to work with a new visual intelligence feature. Users will be able to open the Camera app and point it at an object to get information about it with a tap-and-hold gesture.
For example, pointing the iPhone camera at a restaurant will show opening hours and ratings, while pointing it at a tree will identify what kind of tree it is. Using the visual control with something that has a date, like a flyer, will automatically add the date to the Calendar app.
Camera Control will act as a gateway to third-party tools, such as when a user wants to search Google for an item to buy or use ChatGPT to resolve an issue.
iOS 18 will also have settings that allow users to change the double-tap speed and the sensitivity of the button when pressed lightly.
Camera Control has a sapphire crystal coating with a smooth texture, surrounded by a stainless steel bezel. It's embedded slightly into the frame of the iPhone, and the force sensor has haptic feedback to feel like a mechanical camera shutter.
