User Frustration Mounts as iOS 18 Update Leaves Others Behind - A Shared Ordeal

The Revolutionary Camera Button on Apple’s iPhone 16: Features and Functions Explained for Tech Savvy Users

Screenshot by Kayla Solino/ZDNET

Apple’s annual September keynote always debuts the next best iPhone model , and this year, the tech giant announced the iPhone 16 series on Monday. Along with upgrades to include Apple Intelligence compatibility, the iPhone 16 lineup has a new dedicated camera button on the phones to make taking photos and videos easier.

Also: Everything announced at Apple’s iPhone 16 event

The Camera Control works in landscape or portrait mode with a button on the side of the iPhone. Pressing it once opens the camera app, then pressing it again takes a picture. By pressing down and holding the button, a video will start recording. In addition, you can lightly press the button to show camera functions you can choose from, such as zoom, exposure, or focal lengths, by swiping between the options. Popular apps like Snapchat will be able to utilize the Camera Control button.

The Camera Control also uses Apple’s Visual Intelligence to let you capture a photo of things around you, like a flyer or a restaurant, and have your iPhone’s AI capability search for it to give you more information – similar to the Google Lens feature found on Android phones. Apple says some of its AI features will begin rolling out in beta next month, with more features coming soon.

Newsletters

ZDNET Tech Today

ZDNET’s Tech Today newsletter is a daily briefing of the newest, most talked about stories, five days a week.

See all

The iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max are available to preorder on Friday, Sept. 13, starting at $799, $899, $999, and $1,199, respectively, and officially go on sale Friday, Sept. 20.

Also: The best iPhone models you can buy

While a separate camera button is undoubtedly a unique upgrade to the iPhone 16 series, it’s important to note that you can already use buttons on your iPhone to take a photo. The volume buttons on the iPhone allow you to take a photo by pressing either one once or take many photos via shutter mode by pressing and holding down either one.

Apple

Every iPhone model that will be updated to Apple’s iOS 18 (and which ones can’t)

M3 MacBook Air vs. M2 MacBook Air: Which Apple laptop should you buy?

Why you shouldn’t buy the iPhone 16 for Apple Intelligence

I uncovered 8 cool ways to use LiDAR on an iPhone and iPad