iPhone 16 camera controls are set to free up a lot of action buttons

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro introduce a new Camera Control button. When I think of this physical hardware button, it occurs to me that this is the first time I’ve gotten an Action button — even though I’m currently an iPhone 15 Pro Max user.

Appreciating the action button

Apple replaced the classic mute switch with a customizable action button last year on the iPhone 15 Pro. From day one, the action button on my iPhone 15 Pro Max was assigned to launch the Camera app.

The action button is definitely the fastest way to open the camera and take a photo. I’m pretty sure the iPhone has a dedicated camera button since Apple tested it with a version of its Smart Battery Case that had one years ago.

While the Action button is very satisfying, its placement as a camera button was suboptimal for two reasons.

First, its positioning in the top left corner when I hold the iPhone 15 Pro Max in my right hand makes it an ambidextrous experience. You build muscle memory over time, but it’s something you notice at first.

Second, the action button is in the exact opposite corner from the shutter button when shooting with the iPhone in landscape orientation with the camera on the top back. You can shoot in landscape orientation with the camera on the bottom back, but that’s a different technique that creates a specific shot. Again, it’s something you get used to, but it’s not your first instinct.

iPhone 16 Camera Control

Enter camera controls.

It’s much more capable than the Smart Battery Case’s camera button and the action button as a camera button. It launches the Camera or your chosen camera app and takes photos and videos. It triggers visual searches for Apple Intelligence. It’ll have specific behaviors for third-party apps like Snapchat. And it’s a full-fledged controller, not just a launcher with a trackpad-like surface.

Now for the details. It’s placed in the upper right corner when shooting horizontally. Perfect. It’s easy to reach when you hold the iPhone in one hand. Nice. And Apple (and Beats) integrate Camera Control as part of their iPhone cases? It’s impressive that this is even possible.

Action + Camera Control

So where does the Action button leave us for people like me who have assigned it to launch the camera app of our choice? I’m excited about the new Action button’s usability.

I briefly tested mapping it to ChatGPT Voice and it was useful, but not at the cost of losing the camera button. There were also a few awkward misfires when I pressed it to launch the Camera and the chatbot started listening and responding.

Another option I would need to test to make sure it is right for me is to use the Action button to start video recording and the Camera Control button to take photos.

Currently, I use the Action button to launch the Camera, then swipe to video when taking photos. If I know I’ll be mostly recording video, I temporarily assign it to go to video mode instead of photo mode.

Swiping between sections is no big deal, and the camera controls also support this gesture.

It might be more interesting to do the same approach, but with third-party apps. For example, assigning Camera Control to handle Halide for taking photos and mapping the Action button to open Cinema for recording video. For Halide/Cinema users, I think that’s the move.

For now, solving the problem of how to best use the action button when camera control takes the burden off of swapping out the mute switch is a fun one.

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