Gurman: iPhone 16's Capture Button Will Be Used for Taking Video

[MacRumors]

MacRumors has shared multiple details on the iPhone 16's design, including the unveiling of a new button that is planned for the devices, the Capture Button. While we've known the name and location of the button, the internal information that we've obtained does not detail what it will be used for.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the Capture Button will be able to record video. In this week's Power On newsletter, Gurman says that the iPhone 16 models will include a "new dedicated button for taking video." The Capture Button's function is, of course, hinted at in the name, but this is the first time we've heard confirmation of its purpose.

As we explained in a recent look at early iPhone 16 prototypes, the Capture Button will be located on the bottom right side of the iPhone 16. It will replace the mmWave antenna on U.S. iPhone models, with the mmWave antenna to be relocated to the left side of the device below the volume and Action buttons. Non-U.S. models do not have a mmWave antenna that needs to be relocated in order to accommodate the Capture Button.

The Capture Button will be a capacitive button with haptic feedback rather than a mechanical button, and it is expected to include a force sensor that can recognize pressure. The location of the button may make it easy to trigger, but if it is activated via pressure, it could be that holding it down will launch into the camera and allow video recording to start. The different pressure levels could also open up the camera for either a photo or a video (specifically a spatial video), but that's just speculation at this point.

The Capture Button is coming to all four iPhone 16 models, and with spatial video and the Vision Pro headset, it makes sense for Apple to make video recording quicker and more accessible. The Vision Pro headset can play 3D spatial videos that can be recorded with the iPhone.

Right now, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max can record spatial video using the Wide and Ultra Wide cameras in tandem, with this functionality added in iOS 17.2. The standard iPhone 16 models will feature a new vertical lens arrangement that will allow them to capture spatial video as well, so the feature won't be limited to the Pro models in the future. Spatial video can only be viewed on the Vision Pro headset, and it is meant to make users feel immersed in their memories.

For more on what's expected for the iPhone 16 lineup, we have dedicated iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro roundups that aggregate all of the rumors we've heard to date.

Article Link: Gurman: iPhone 16's Capture Button Will Be Used for Taking Video

 

[Nimoy]

Is the current state for starting a video so cumbersome that they need to build a new physical button to make it easier? I can understand the idea of making two assignable quick-action buttons, but a dedicated video button seems a bit strange.

 

[surfzen21]

Seems like a good deal of re-engineering to accomplish very little and probably very very low on anyone's Apple iPhone want list.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

A quicker "record video" option seems like a good thing to me. Conceptually, this is ONE step instead of up to a few to start capturing video.

But how about either:

• Showing an info screen to teach people that shooting video with phone in landscape means future playback that fills their TV screen instead of being a tall, thin strip of video in the middle and huge black bars to the left & right? OR
• Advance the camera capture so that one can hold the phone vertical but shoot landscape anyway... and then crop it "skinny" if that's the desired end goal by the user? If someone actually likes all of their video shot tall & skinny, default the playback that way when they are watching with phone in portrait (an "auto crop" for playback if you will).

There seems to be no amount of oral education about this topic that can move those listening to change the well-established habit of holding the phone vertical to shoot video. So, either make a little phone effort to re-educate everyone or make the phone capture landscape when camera is held portrait so that later- when the person who shot it that way is wanting it to "fill my TV screen"- one does not have to explain yet again that they must rotate their phone when capturing the video.

Does vertical skinny have a place in rendered videos? Sure, there are some applications where it works nicely. But I bet the vast majority of video capturing people would prefer landscape default if they could only know- and then recall when they want to capture new video- to rotate that phone... or have it go ahead and capture the left & right extra when they shoot in portrait so that they can see much more when they play back on any wider screen in the future.

 

[Bearxor]

*Looks at the way I’m holding my phone while reading this*

Oh boy….

 

[citysnaps]

Sounds good. As long as I can remap it to open Blackmagic's Camera (video) app instead. It's pretty amazing.

 

[Ifti]

Have my current quick action button set to start video recording....and i still never use it.....

 

[brofkand]

When they run out of ideas, they make new colors and add useless features like more buttons.

For those following along at home, these things are your cue to skip the generation.

 

[Porco]

I hate the sizes of the current jumbotronPhones, but if knew I could record 3D video that would play on my existing 3D hardware (e.g. PSVR, 3DTV and 3D Projector) it would certain soften the blow of having to wheelbarrow around my next jumbotronPhone instead of being able to fit it in all my pockets. It would also make me more likely to eventually buy a Vision Pro (or cheaper model… Vision Air or whatever).

As for buttons… sure, add another customisable button and default it to capturing video and photos. Good idea. Just don’t make it as hair-triggered as the disaster on the side of the AppleTV remote please! Ideally if it’s touch-sensitive and haptic, they could make those elements customisable too, in much the same way mouse pointer tracking has often been adjustable to taste/preference on computers.

 

[JoJoe2k]

So.... um... The button is a capacitive button, so it cannot be covered by the bumper case to work, right?
And it is in the bottom right corner? Like, one of the corners where it is really bad if the phone falls down and there is no bumper case covering it?

I really do hope they'll come up with something that doesn't make this a really bad idea 😅

 

[scorpio vega]

When they run out of ideas, they make new colors and add useless features like more buttons.

For those following along at home, these things are your cue to skip the generation.

I never understand comments like these. Every generation is not meant for every user.

I have a 15. I likely will not be upgrading unless there is some MONUMENTAL upgrade change necessary. I recognize the 16 is not for me.

the 15 is for 11/12 and possibly 13 users.

the 16 definitely is mainly for 13/14 users to upgrade.

it's no different from when S models were a thing. They just dropped the S. And i still upgrade almost every other year nonetheless.

 

[Cwoods]

Honest question; what % is Gurman actually right?

 

[GuruZac]

Just video? Surely it could be used to launch any number of camera options? Photo, portrait, etc.

 

[Flash1420]

I just hate it, it doesn’t seem practical. I am surprised Apple is doing this because they always aimed for a clean iPhone design with no ports and buttons. As long as it’s flat and not a button that sticks out, I will be okay but still not a fan of it. Apple please focus on other things like battery life and maybe making those cameras smaller because not everyone out here is shooting 8K movies.

 

[klasma]

A quicker "record video" option seems like a good thing to me. Conceptually, this is ONE step instead of up to a few to start capturing video.

But how about either:

• Showing an info screen to teach people that shooting video with phone in landscape means future playback that fills their TV screen instead of being a tall, thin strip of video in the middle and huge black bars to the left & right? OR
• Advance the camera capture so that one can hold the phone vertical but shoot landscape anyway... and then crop it "skinny" if that's the desired end goal by the user? If someone actually likes all of their video shot tall & skinny, default the playback that way when they are watching with phone in portrait (an "auto crop" for playback if you will).

There seems to be no amount of oral education about this topic that can move those listening to change the well-established habit of holding the phone vertical to shoot video. So, either make a little phone effort to re-educate everyone or make the phone capture landscape when camera is held portrait so that later- when the person who shot it that way is wanting it to "fill my TV screen"- one does not have to explain yet again that they must rotate their phone when capturing the video.

Does vertical skinny have a place in rendered videos? Sure, there are some applications where it works nicely. But I bet the vast majority of video capturing people would prefer landscape default if they could only know- and then recall when they want to capture new video- to rotate that phone... or have it go ahead and capture the left & right extra when they shoot in portrait so that they can see much more when they play back on any wider screen in the future.

Most people nowadays watch videos on their phone though, not on their TV (if they even own one).

 

[klasma]

Just video? Surely it could be used to launch any number of camera options? Photo, portrait, etc.

They need to save buttons for the next couple of years.

 

[macvicta]

When they run out of ideas, they make new colors and add useless features like more buttons.

For those following along at home, these things are your cue to skip the generation.

I’ve got an iPhone 13 Max, and it looks like it will be a couple more years before Apple releases anything compelling enough to upgrade.

 

[zach-coleman]

When you put it like this it feels like a cynical attempt to sell more storage upgrades. Especially for the people who will accidentally hit it all the time and fill up their storage with junk video.

 

[mrat93]

I love the Action button, but it’s sad that we’re at the point where they need to add new physical buttons to keep things fresh. The Action button could have been added to nearly any previous iPhone.

I was also basically using Action button on steroids when having a jailbroken phone and using the app, Activator, like ten years ago.

 

[zach-coleman]

*Looks at the way I’m holding my phone while reading this*

Oh boy….

You're holding it wrong.

 

[Sorinut]

Most people nowadays watch videos on their phone though, not on their TV (if they even own one).

There are a lot of consoles out there, and they are still attached to TVs. Yes, people watch video on their phone, but I don't know anyone that only watches on their phone. Even the young teenagers in my house prefer a larger screen.

I, on the other hand, don't watch any video on my phone. That includes YouTube.

 

[sw1tcher]

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the Capture Button will be able to record video. In this week's Power On newsletter, Gurman says that the iPhone 16 models will include a "new dedicated button for taking video." The Capture Button's function is, of course, hinted at in the name, but this is the first time we've heard confirmation of its purpose.

For all we know the Capture button could be used by those playing Pokémon Go to "capture" a Pokémon

 

[sviato]

More buttons? Seems backwards. I haven’t seen people complain about accessing primary camera functions, is there an issue?

 

[Populus]

After reading several reports from Gurman (the AirPods 4, the redesigned Apple Watch X, and now this one), I suddenly realized today is Sunday, and it’s the day Gurman releases his Power On newsletter.

 

[Kylo83]

We don’t need new buttons