iPhone 16's New 'Capture Button' Rumored to Emulate High-End Camera Functionality

The iPhone 16 lineup's new Capture Button will be able to detect multiple levels of pressure to emulate a two-step shutter button from dedicated digital cameras, according to a Weibo leaker.

iPhone 16 Pro Right Side Feature
MacRumors was first to reveal the presence of a new button on the iPhone 16 models called the "Capture Button" last year. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman remarked that the Capture Button will be able to record video and The Information reported that the Capture Button will add features like the ability to zoom in and out by swiping left and right on the button, and focus on a subject with a light press.

Now, the Weibo user "Instant Digital" corroborates that the Capture Button's main function will be to trigger image or video capture, but a light press will enable the user to adjust focus. This is effectively the same functionality found on most DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, where the shutter button features two stages: Pressing it down half way locks in focus or exposure and pressing it down all of the way capture a photo. The leaker added that the debut of the Capture Button reinforces the iPhone's pivot toward photography.

As explained in an early look at the iPhone 16 prototypes, the Capture Button will be located on the bottom right side of the ‌iPhone 16‌. It will take the place of the mmWave antenna on U.S. ‌iPhone‌ models, with the mmWave antenna to be relocated to the left side of the device below the volume and Action buttons. Non-U.S. models do not have a mmWave antenna that needs to be relocated in order to accommodate the Capture Button.

Instant Digital has a mixed track record in terms of revealing accurate information about Apple's plans. The source was first to report the iPhone 14's Yellow spring refresh, Spatial Video capture on the iPhone 15 Pro, and the Apple Watch Series 9's minor hardware update, as well as being the only source of the only rumor claiming that the iPhone 15 and ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus would feature frosted back glass. However, they also made claims about several iOS 17 features and the release of a new iPad Air in October 2023 that did not pan out.

Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
New MacBook Pros Launching Tomorrow With These 4 New Features 2

M5 MacBook Models to Use New Compact Camera Module in 2025

Wednesday July 17, 2024 2:58 am PDT by
Apple in 2025 will take on a new compact camera module (CCM) supplier for future MacBook models powered by its next-generation M5 chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Writing in his latest investor note on unny-opticals-2025-business-momentum-to-benefit-509819818c2a">Medium, Kuo said Apple will turn to Sunny Optical for the CCM in its M5 MacBooks. The Chinese optical lens company...

Top Rated Comments

frou Avatar
24 weeks ago
Damn you lot are whiners. Sounds like a decent feature to me.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
j26 Avatar
24 weeks ago
It's a photographer focused feature.

For someone actually trying to compose a picture, this is really useful. The ergonomics are just so much better than tapping a screen to focus.

For me, this would be a significant draw towards iPhones, something I've avoided since they were first launched.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
casperes1996 Avatar
24 weeks ago
Most DSLRs have this. I wouldn't say high-end; Just any DSLR really
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sammo123321 Avatar
24 weeks ago
Oh good, more button I can accidentally press when holding my phone...
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
abatabia Avatar
24 weeks ago
Cool for content creators I guess, or me when I take cat pics.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iLoveDeveloping Avatar
24 weeks ago
Don’t really care for it but whatever. They will probably make it out to be a massive new “feature”, when what people actually want is better cameras. 48mp on all 3 instead of dragging it out for 3 years adding 48 to each one each year. It’s insulting when they could easily do it.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)