iPhone 16 Capture Button Will Respond to Touch and Pressure for Zooming and Focusing

[AppleiPhone4lyfe]

Below the power button would be the absolute worst place for a button. The lower volume button is already far too low, and would even be unreachable if trying to hold the phone steady while in a horizontal orientation

 

[seek3r]

This actually seems like a good idea now that we have a better idea of what it’s for. I see people struggle with the software controls for Photos all the time and the volume button as the capture button just leads to lots of unintended shots.

With a button that handles zoom Apple can keep people in the native focal lengths of the lenses and a manual focus button would eliminate a lot of screen poking when shooting as well.

So while I was skeptical at first now I’m curious. There’s a problem to solve here (clumsy interface that leads to bad shots) and it appears Apple is trying to solve it.

Gotta tell you, you legit turned me around on this. I clicked on the thread to make a snarky comment but you’re right, this does actually solve an irritating but mostly kinda shrugged off problem.

 

[dante_mr]

I don’t actually think that’s the ideal spot for a button. We’ll see what they come up with. Don’t make me wish Jony was back. Never thought I’d say that.

iPhone 20 will be buttons all along all sides.

Really? I assume they mean the capture button would be near the bottom right corner?

if that's the case that's actually really good placement. Pretty much the same as classic digital cameras.

But if they mean near the center of the right side, then yeah that's bad placement. I can't even reach that far with the Pro Max.

 

[a m u n]

Samsung and Google are releasing "killer app"-level AI enhancements to search, translation, transcription, and note summarization to their Galaxy and Pixel phones. If Apple's next move is a button, they will be forgotten and left behind.

“Apple may be quiet on AI, but it’s also the biggest buyer of AI companies.”

The power of silence in a noisy world.

 

[537635]

How will this work with a case?!

 

[macduke]

The site says that the button is mechanical rather than capacitive, but it will respond to pressure and touch.

Huh? This sounds like it will be mechanical and capacitive. Although you can determine force without needing necessarily a traditional mechanical actuation, or at least one that is so thin you can't tell. And they can use haptics to make it feel like it's being clicked in more or less, like a trackpad.

iPhone users will be able to zoom in and out by swiping left and right on the button, focus with a light press, and activate a recording with a more forceful press.

This kinda sounds like many mirrorless and dSLR cameras that have been on the market for ages mixed with a prosumer point and shoot. For instance, many of these more professional cameras allow you to half hold down the shutter to focus, and as you hold that down you can focus and/or exposure lock on the subject in the center and then recompose your image for composition. And I remember on old prosumer cameras I had in high school and early college, you would have a rocker to zoom in and out, so swiping one side or the other reminds me of that.

It will be interesting to see how this works with cases, and this also makes me wonder if this is actually what the rumors about the slidable haptic volume buttons were really about? Because this makes more sense.

and in an ideal spot for finger access when the iPhone is held in a horizontal orientation

Yes....

and it is being introduced to further push the iPhone as a camera alternative for shooting horizontal video.

YUSSSSS!!! Horizontal video is best video. Although if this is located below the power button low on the right side, then this could easily be operated with a thumb while shooting vertical video. BLEH.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Really? I assume they mean the capture button would be near the bottom right corner?

if that's the case that's actually really good placement. Pretty much the same as classic digital cameras.

But if they mean near the center of the right side, then yeah that's bad placement. I can't even reach that far with the Pro Max.

That would be good. But if it really is in the same spot the 5G antenna window is now, that doesn’t seem good to me either.

 

[skitidetdu]

The action button should be a smart button. It could have the zoom function once you are inside the camera app for instance. More buttons are not needed in my opinion.

 

[HVDynamo]

As a photographer… this seems maybe kinda sorta useful.

As an iPhone user… it’s just one more button for me to accidentally hit when i mean to take a screenshot or change the volume. I really don’t think we need more buttons.

The only button I want back is the home button with TouchID in it too.

 

[zakarhino]

How will this work with a case?!

The mechanical action will work but not the capacitive swipe unless the case has a cutout for the capture button. At least that's what we can infer from Gurman's report.

 

[mejsric]

It’ll be the most captivating button ever!


Well that’s one good news at least.

and then every android phones will have a capture button 😛😀

 

[Ar_c]

Sadly 100% useless when you’re left handed

 

[bobmans]

Makes sense that it does more than just take a pic/video. That’s literally what the volume buttons do, wouldn’t need a separate button for that.

I think there will be a lot of surprises about the functionality of this button once it comes out.

 

[1BadManVan]

Man some negative people on these boards lol. Yet most of you all own Apple, why?

 

[svish]

Sounds very interesting. Will be a useful addition for 16 Pro.

 

[allenvanhellen]

Dual purpose volume buttons are a pain when shooting video. You want dedicated volume controls for that.

Could you explain?

 

[adrianlondon]

I had to read to the second comment to get to a "Steve Jobs must be rolling over in his grave" observation. Come on, MR commenters, we can do better!

If they wrapped him in copper coils, people visiting his grave could have free wireless charging.

 

[Sebbug]

Only for taking videos? Photos would be cool too!

 

[Textime]

Honestly, Steve Jobs would have freaked out. Anyone who has ever held an Android in their hand knows that nobody uses this additional button. More buttons, more flaw, more irritations. I already have enough of a problem that when I want to turn up the volume on my 14 Pro, I accidentally touch the power button and the screen closes.

 

[miric]

Greeting from Nokia 5800, 2008.

 

[mscice]

amazing innovation from apple last 5 years 🙂

 

[Radon87000]

Nokia had camera buttons a decade ago on their Lumia phones.

 

[MrCrowbar]

Can we move the sleep button to that side as well? When using a case you have to press the volume buttons a bit harder and accidental screenshots are annoying.

Actually, ditch the volume buttons, they do different unexpected things anyway depending on context.
2 "capture buttons" and a dumb sleep button in a row on the same side maybe?

 

[Jensend]

Honestly, Steve Jobs would have freaked out. Anyone who has ever held an Android in their hand knows that nobody uses this additional button. More buttons, more flaw, more irritations. I already have enough of a problem that when I want to turn up the volume on my 14 Pro, I accidentally touch the power button and the screen closes.

Huh? My Android phone only has a power button and a volume up/down button.
I do sometimes press the power button when I want to turn the volume up, though, since the buttons are right next to each other.

I think just using a different button shape could make it easy enough to differentiate from other buttons.

 

[lovehateapple]

This is apple trying to encourage us to shoot as much spatial video as possible. I'm not complaining, just sayin'. 😉