Camera Control on the iPhone 16 reinvents the shutter button for an AI age

Apple has recognized that the photography world might have lost something when we started tapping our phone screens to take photos. Today’s launch of the iPhone 16 includes the unveiling of a new Camera Control button on the side of the device, offering a lot more functionality than just a simple shutter.

Flush to the surface of the phone, clicking the button launches the camera app. A firm press of the button takes a photo, but a light press opens up options you would usually access on the screen. These can then be scrolled by sliding your finger along the button.

For example, light-pressing the Camera Control button and then sliding allows you to zoom while maintaining your grip on the handset. You can also access other functions like focal depth, and apps like Snapchat allow the button to be used for their own in-app functions, such as selecting which group to send the image to.

The Camera Control button can also be used for image-related searches and Apple Intelligence features. One great example is essentially Apple’s answer to Google Lens, letting you press and hold the button and then point the iPhone 16 at a subject to learn more. Other demos in the Apple demonstration showed the button being used to check out info about a restaurant and work out the breed of a dog.

Additional functions of the Camera Control include a quick way of performing a Google search or asking ChatGPT about the image you just snapped. It even has haptic feedback to emulate the traditional camera-click experience.

All four models of the iPhone 16 series will have the Camera Control button, with the Pro variants set to get more functionality when it comes to shooting videos. Apple also announced that a two-stage shutter will arrive to Camera Control later in the year, allowing for automatic focus and exposure locking.

The iPhone 16 can be pre-ordered starting September 13 and will be on general sale from September 20.