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Apple Apparently Sees Camera Control as Key Foldable iPhone Feature

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Apple's first foldable iPhone will be eSIM only and feature a Camera Control despite its ultra-thin design, according to a known leaker.

Foldable-iPhone-2023-Feature-1.jpg

In a series of new posts, the leaker known as "Instant Digital" said that Apple has made deliberate engineering compromises to ensure that the first foldable iPhone features a Camera Control button, despite it being at least 1.1mm thinner than the iPhone Air when unfolded.

According to the leaker, Apple's rationale is largely ergonomic: With competing foldable phones, Apple believes that making adjustments and taking photos can be "cumbersome" owing to their large size. The Camera Control is said to be the company's preferred solution, enabling users to maintain a steady grip on the device while making any required adjustments, or do so one-handed if they wish.

This ensures that even when the screen is fully unfolded, users can still perform these operations effortlessly using just one hand.

Although the reception for this button on standard flat-screen iPhones has been somewhat polarized, Apple believes that within the unique context of a foldable device's ergonomics, its practical value will be significantly enhanced. Consequently, the Apple team made a firm decision to prioritize this feature—even at the cost of sacrificing precious internal component stacking space—to ensure the "Camera Control" button is included on their very first generation of foldable iPhones.
Click to expand...

In addition, Apple's U.S. imaging team apparently recently took a trip to Shenzhen, China, to test the cameras of foldable smartphones from rival brands such as Huawei, with particular attention to telephoto zoom capabilities. The first foldable iPhone is not expected to offer a telephoto camera, with only wide and ultra wide cameras on the rear like the iPhone 17. Most high-end rival foldable smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, feature three rear cameras, including a telephoto.

Instant Digital added that they have seen no signs in the supply chain of tooling or stocking for SIM card tray modules for the foldable iPhone, concluding the device will be eSIM-only across all regions, just like the iPhone Air. The leaker also puts first-year production at a conservative 10 million units, with pricing expected to fall between 15,000 and 20,000 RMB (roughly $2,060–$2,750).

The leaker added that the mainland China variants of the iPhone 18 Pro models are set to adopt a "Single SIM + eSIM" configuration, dropping the dual-physical-SIM setup currently used in the region. The Hong Kong version is said to follow the same approach while retaining a physical SIM card slot.

The foldable iPhone is widely expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in fall 2026. It is expected to feature a 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch outer display, Touch ID, the A20 chip, the C2 modem, and more.

Article Link: Apple Apparently Sees Camera Control as Key Foldable iPhone Feature
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/04/20/camera-control-key-foldable-iphone-feature/
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Reactions: Z-4195
Really! This is important but the power button on the side of the regular iPhone (rather than on the top) that constantly causes unintended screenshots isn’t important?
 
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MacRumors said:
Apple has made deliberate engineering compromises to ensure that the first foldable iPhone features a Camera Control button
Click to expand...
A folding phone is nothing but a long series of compromises. The only thing that matters is the OS and how Apple markets it. How is the window management/multitasking--is it actually useful or cumbersome? Does Apple update their apps to provide actual productivity use cases for having the larger screen real estate? How does Apple showcase a need for the device beyond just a big screen for movies and games?
 
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Reactions: ThailandToo, k1121j, wlossw and 1 other person
does anyone use it other than as a shortcut to opening the camera app?

I found it to slow to use while taking pics. Touching the screen is quicker, despite the phone app ui being so poor for making quick changes (it is however quick for accidentally taking video instead of pics)
 
Camera Control is one of my favorite features on my phone. It’s mostly the button I use to open the camera but I use it regularly to take pictures and sometimes to make adjustments. Also, if you've ever needed to take pictures of the back of something like a monitor or in a tight space, it's a life-saver (figuratively speaking).
 
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gimmesomemo said:
This has got to be satire right? Right?? I’m pretty sure the Vision Pro has more users than the camera control
Click to expand...

It’s definitely very touchy by default but I’m glad it’s there. I turned off everything except double tap with screen on to open and then all it does is take the picture when pressed.

It does tend to throw off the shot when used by hand but it’s good for tripods.
 
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It is interesting how for so many years they wanted no buttons and now there are lots. But I like it, quick access to top three most used features: Camera, Siri, and wilcard on the action button (especially once they fix Siri 🤞).
 
My hot take is camera control is going to be expanded for use. So you're going to have apps that you read, ebooks, or I'm sure Apple News...and camera control would be a way that you can scroll, navigate, page, turn, whatever.
 
We'll see. I like the concept of the CC button on the current phones but it just doesn't seem to work as well as I hoped. I'm always pressing it when I don't mean to, and yet somehow I'm never able to find the button quickly enough when I do need it because you can't easily feel it. It needs work.
 
Shame they waited so long, and so far I have yet to read about anything that makes it stand out from its competitors. You'd think they waited to knock it out of the park as Apple used to do, looking at nearly 8 generations of Galaxy Fold and others, and yet?

"Nearly" crease-free display? - Oppo Find N6 did that.

"Wide" foldable? - Huawei did that.

Next-gen 7000 capacity batteries? - All Chinese brands did that.

Telephoto camera in a Foldable? - Done that.

They are lucky people in the West are so deep into the Apple ecosystem, and I used to be one of them, but I got bored with the iPhone 16 (owned everything from the iPod days). Now the only Apple products I am still using are a MacBook Pro and an Apple TV.

It's fun to try different things, and tomorrow I'll check out the Oppo Find X9 Ultra. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
 
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I don’t get the importance of operating the camera with one hand while the phone is unfolded. Would you even want to do that?

I realize the aspect ratio of the rumored device is still open to speculation, but I’m having a hard time seeing how one would hold the phone and operate the camera with one hand while unfolded without grabbing it at least partially on the screen. Now there’s the additional complexity of deconflicting touch inputs from “camera control” inputs. Working the camera one-handed is already awkward even in existing iPhones with presumably similar dimensions as this device when folded. Just seems like a misguided thing to prioritize from a technical perspective.
 
MacRumors said:
According to the leaker, Apple's rationale is largely ergonomic: With competing foldable phones, Apple believes that making adjustments and taking photos can be "cumbersome" owing to their large size. The Camera Control is said to be the company's preferred solution, enabling users to maintain a steady grip on the device while making any required adjustments, or do so one-handed if they wish.
Click to expand...

Have these guys actually used Camera Control? It's been a long time since I've used something so unintuitive. I don't know what's worse - the swipe gestures, the vague icons, the half-press-but-don't-actually-press, it's a mess!
 
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ProbablyDylan said:
Have these guys actually used Camera Control? It's been a long time since I've used something so unintuitive. I don't know what's worse - the swipe gestures, the vague icons, the half-press-but-don't-actually-press, it's a mess!
Click to expand...
The fact that it’s like a trigger pull when snapping photos drives me nuts. The camera will pull to whatever side you snap from. I thought the premise was to use it with one hand? So why is it so hard to use 1 handed?
 
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k1121j said:
Really! This is important but the power button on the side of the regular iPhone (rather than on the top) that constantly causes unintended screenshots isn’t important?
Click to expand...
Apple’s telemetry must be telling them that taking screenshots is a highly used feature, hence they’ll keep them as easy to make as possible. 😉
 
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cammera control sucks. Has anyone found anything useful for it? The one thing I want (being able to change focus) so i can shoot through windows it doesnt do. Also can apple please de-f**k the camera app? Why is every control overloaded? Why they move the shutter button in and mput the (hidden) menu under it? Why is it swipe left right up down on different parts. I usually have to spend about 30 seconds un-f**king whay ever mode ive accidentally switched it to before i can take a pictue. Its horrendous
 
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