Apple is reportedly considering allowing users to adjust focus, zoom in and out, and capture images on the iPhone 16 without the need for screen interaction.
iPhone 16 series is expected to debut later this year as the successor to Apple’s iPhone 15 lineup. The company’s latest phones brought the Dynamic Island, a 48-megapixel primary camera, and a USB Type-C port to all four models in the series, and the purported iPhone 16 models are expected to debut with a new hardware feature — a dedicated capture button. A recent report gives us an idea of how Apple’s dedicated camera button could function.
Citing two people with direct knowledge of the company’s development efforts, The Information reports that Apple’s rumoured capture button will help users capture images and video when the handset is held horizontally. The new button will support touch gestures, and will also respond to pressure, according to the report. Last year, Apple introduced the Action button with the iPhone 15 Pro models in place of the mute switch.
Just like the other existing buttons on the iPhone, the new capture button will be a mechanical button that will respond to pressure applied by the user, according to the report, which states that it will allow one to “bring images into focus by pressing it lightly and activate the shutter by pressing more firmly on the button.” This could help users quickly take images without having to interact with the screen, while making the process of capturing photos feel akin to using a digital camera.
Similar to some Android smartphones that feature fingerprint sensors on the power button and support swipe gestures, the reported capture button on the iPhone 16 lineup is said to also support swipe gestures. Users may have the ability to swipe left and right on the button for zooming in and out, according to the report.
Earlier this month, TF Securities International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that the iPhone 16 Pro would come equipped with upgraded ultra-wide-angle and telephoto cameras. Additional details about these rumored hardware upgrades on the iPhone 16 series are expected to be revealed in the coming months.