Forget everything you thought you knew about smartphone buttons. With the Camera Control on the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro, Apple is completely reinventing the interaction between the user and the camera.
During its keynote, Apple unveiled a new feature that’s likely to generate buzz: the Camera Control on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.
This new button, which may seem unremarkable at first glance, actually conceals a multitude of features that promise to revolutionize the way we use the camera on our smartphones.
A discreet but sophisticated design
Let’s start with the physical aspect. The Camera Control is a flush button, covered in sapphire crystal.
In other words, it doesn’t protrude beyond the edge of the iPhone, preserving the phone’s clean lines while providing increased scratch resistance. But make no mistake: beneath this discreet appearance lies a real concentration of technology.
Multi-level interaction
The genius of Camera Control lies in its ability to distinguish between different types of interactions.
Here’s a quick guide to help you navigate:
- Single click: Launches the Camera app. Once the app is open, another single click takes a photo.
- Press and hold: Instantly starts recording a video.
- Light press: Activates a sharper preview mode or displays an overlay allowing you to adjust zoom, depth, and other settings.
- Double tap: Shows additional controls to switch functions. For example, you can enable background blur in portrait mode.
- Swipe: By tapping lightly and then sliding your finger on the surface, you can zoom in smoothly and precisely.
The magic of haptic feedback
But how does it all work? The secret lies in the iPhone’s haptic engine. Although the Camera Control is actually a touch surface, the haptic feedback gives the illusion of a real mechanical click.
Apple’s ambition doesn’t stop with its own camera app. The Camera Control will also be accessible to third-party developers. Apps like Snapchat will be able to take advantage of these new possibilities, paving the way for even richer and more intuitive interactions.
Of course, such a button would be meaningless without a top-tier camera. Apple has spared no effort here, equipping the iPhone 16 with a 48-megapixel main sensor with a 26mm focal length.
