iPhone 18 Could Drop Camera Control Button, Claims Dubious Rumor

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

The button is fine but it needs better implementation.

What more could they do with it? Even if they could add more photographic features, users still have to learn them and be made aware of them.

 

[rocknrollme]

iPhone Touch bar

 

[canyonblue737]

Perhaps there is SOME truth to this rumor and that yes... the manufacturers are being told they wont need the touch sensitive button from the iPhone 18 and on.... BUT I would be what Apple might be intending to do is just replace it with a conventional button of the same size since I bet they see many people use it to LAUNCH photos... or maybe even take a photo... but almost no one uses the fancy touch features like zooming in and out, changing settings etc. They could save money by just replacing it with a conventional button and most people wont miss a thing.

 

[filchermcurr]

I tried to use it as a shutter button but it just randomly changes things or zooms, so enh. I'm not broken up about its removal. The volume button as shutter is much more reliable.

I wish it could be repurposed for scrolling. It would be handy to scroll and be able to see all the content without your big dumb fingers in the way.

 

[Nehalem]

It’s useful mostly to open the camera. And there’s already like 17 shortcuts to do that.

I hoped the touchy, pressy, slidey features would help do a smooth slow zoom in video. It did not.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy52]

It's giving me the touch bar on Macbooks vibes. I personally love the touch bar and find it useful because I figured out how to make good use of it, such a shame that Apple can't make it more useful but instead they want to "cut cost" and get rid of it. The button will die quicker than the touchbar did.

I agree. I had an MBP with a Touch Bar that I gave up on because of the keyboard. However much I found the Touch Bar to have promise, I never found a use for it.

In this case, I use the button to grab a QR code or a quick shot of something I want to reference later. For other photos, I hold the phone horizontally with my right index finger on the up volume button as the shutter and use the camera button with my left thumb to handle the zoom. It's actually more convenient than using the screen to zoom when the phone is in that orientation.

Now, do I need it? Nope. Have I grown to like it? Yep. Would I be disappointed if it disappeared (especially on the Pro models, since those are the better cameras)? Probably. Would it stop me from ever getting another iPhone? No (the Liquid Glass UI will accomplish that!).

 

[GrumpyOldGuy52]

What more could they do with it? Even if they could add more photographic features, users still have to learn them and be made aware of them.

I see what you're saying, but part of that responsibility falls to the user to research it and learn about it. I suspect that's partially why it's not being used—no one's photo-taking workflow is being interrupted (unlike how removing the Touch ID, for example, changed how we had to log into our phones).

 

[longofest]

I guess I'm part of the minority that likes that button.

 

[jimmydx]

It seems I'm not the norm here, but I love that button. I use it constantly. I learned the best way to use it is to not use it for zoom, but use it to switch cameras; so I swap between 0.5x, 2x and 5x effortlessly, even to selfie mode. I also lock in exposure sometimes. The other day, I put on a watertight case that had a terrible implementation of the button, and that's when I realized how much I've become dependent on it... My only issue is the choice of cameras Apple went with, 5x is too much and 2x is not great cause it's cropped. Really miss that optical 3x.

 

[rixa001]

It seems I'm not the norm here, but I love that button. I use it constantly. I learned the best way to use it is to not use it for zoom, but use it to switch cameras; so I swap between 0.5x, 2x and 5x effortlessly, even to selfie mode. I also lock in exposure sometimes. The other day, I put on a watertight case that had a terrible implementation of the button, and that's when I realized how much I've become dependent on it... My only issue is the choice of cameras Apple went with, 5x is too much and 2x is not great cause it's cropped. Really miss that optical 3x.

Honestly, the button is ok. More than anything, I like that I have quick access to take pictures. It's not 'game changing,' but I like that I don't have to swipe/select on my screen to access.

 

[tennisproha]

I love Camera Control! It's a super technical button that only Apple could've done right. My only gripe is the placement needs to be more intuitive.