Apple iPhone 16 and 16 Plus Feature Dedicated ‘Camera Control’ Button

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A pair of hands holding a purple iPhone horizontally. The phone has dual rear cameras and an Apple logo on the back. The background is white, emphasizing the phone's color and design.

Apple has unveiled the iPhone 16 line, and the base-level models are receiving exciting new features.

Physically, the most significant update is the orientation of the camera, which is now in a vertically stacked orientation, as opposed to previous generations’ diagonal design. In addition to a cleaner aesthetic on the back panel, this orientation of the lenses allows users to create spatial video for Apple Vision Pro. It’s the first time the iPhone had this camera orientation since the iPhone 12.

Close-up of the side of a blue smartphone, showcasing its sleek finish with a focus on the elongated oval volume button. The design is minimalistic, with a smooth surface and slight reflections indicating a metallic or glossy material.

A close-up of a finger gently touching the top edge of a smartphone screen, which displays a zoom level indicator set to "1x" above a landscape of rocky, mountainous terrain under a clear sky. The scene is lit with a soft, purple glow.

Another significant feature is the implementation of a dedicated, touch-sensitive Camera Control. It can function as a shutter button, but based on the product videos shown during the event, the Camera Control can also respond to touches and slide motions to adjust controls or zoom in. This makes the iPhone that much more of a photographer-friendly tool by further capturing the point-and-shoot experience.

The new Camera Control is a fully featured new control scheme that sits flush alongside the side of the phone and uses a haptic feedback click function similar to former iPhone home buttons. One button opens the camera, and a second click takes a photo. It also can recognize a half-press, similar to the way a mirrorless camera activates autofocus on a half-press of the shutter. Holding a half-press can let you adjust the depth of field in portrait mode or bring up other camera settings before you take a photo.

A woman is standing outdoors with flowers and greenery in the background. The camera interface of a smartphone partially occupies the right side of the image, displaying camera settings and a white shutter button. The sky is clear and blue.

The Camera Control can also utilize a new Visual Intelligence feature, where Apple Intelligence can pull up relevant information about whatever is in the frame. The presentation gave examples of taking a photo of a restaurant, and Siri can pull up the menu or provide product information.

The build is aluminum and features a new ceramic display cover. The display can range from 2,000 nits in sunlight to 1 nit in the dark. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus screens also project a color glow on the edges when Siri is activated.

Close-up view of the back of a smartphone with a dual camera setup. The lenses are encircled in a slightly raised oval module, accompanied by a flash positioned below. The phone has a smooth, light purple finish against a dark blue gradient background.

A close-up view of a person holding a sleek blue iPhone, showcasing its dual camera setup and Apple logo on the back. The background is a gradient of deep blue, emphasizing the phone's elegant design and vibrant color.

The new models also feature an action button, which replaces the longstanding mute switch above the volume rockers. The button can be programmed for recording a voice memo, translating a phrase, and downloading a song. The actions can also be programmed based on the time of day.

The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus both come with the new A18 chip, which is designed to support Apple Intelligence, Apple’s new AI software. Apple CEO Tim Cook proudly stated the iPhone 16 family was designed “from the ground up” for Apple Intelligence. The new chip is 30% faster than the iPhone 15.

A lineup of five Apple iPhones in different colors (black, white, pink, green, and blue) showcasing their rear dual-camera setups and sleek designs. The devices are positioned upright, side by side, highlighting their metallic finishes.

Two purple smartphones are shown stacked slightly offset from one another, showcasing their sleek sides and backs. The visible back of the top phone displays dual camera lenses, and both phones have buttons on the sides. The Apple logo is centered on both devices.

The new phones come in black, pink, blue, green, and white.

Last year’s iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models received substantial upgrades to the camera, increasing the resolution from 12 megapixels to 48. However, that image gets cropped down to 12 megapixels when using telephoto mode.

Close-up of a light green smartphone rear camera module, featuring two large, black circular lenses and a smaller sensor between and below them. The phone's smooth surface and minimalist design are prominently displayed.

The main camera features a 48-megapixel camera, similar to last year’s iPhone 15. The new iPhone 16 introduced a “light mode,” which uses computational photography and pixel binning to create a 24-megapixel image that’s friendlier for sharing online and texting to others.

A close-up image of a smartphone's dual camera system. The top lens is labeled "48MP Main camera," and the bottom lens is labeled "12MP 2x Telephoto." Text next to the lenses details technical specifications including focal length, pixel size, aperture, and optical quality.

Close-up of a mint-green smartphone's dual-camera setup. The top lens is labeled as a 12MP Ultra Wide camera with a 13mm focal length, 1.4µm pixel size, 100% Focus Pixels, f/2.2 aperture, anti-reflective lens coating, and autofocus.

There is also a physical 16mm ultra-wide angle. Apple claims it can capture 2.6x the amount of light from previous models. The 16mm ultra-wide angle can also enable a macro photography mode.

"48MP Main camera, 26 mm focal length, 2 μm quad-pixel, 100% Focus Pixels, ƒ/1.6 aperture, Anti-reflective lens coating, Sensor-shift OIS.

For telephoto pictures, the camera crops in on its main 48-megapixel main camera into a 12-megapixel image. Apple is calling this a “Fusion Camera,” despite operating similar to last year’s iPhone 15.

A small, fluffy dog with grey and black fur sits attentively among vibrant purple lavender flowers. The background shows a blurred rural building, a chimney, and a blue sky with fluffy clouds, creating a serene countryside scene.

Close-up of a green praying mantis perched on a purple flower under a clear blue sky. The mantis's body is elongated and is seen grasping the flower while its antennae are pointed forward. The background is slightly blurred with shades of blue and green.

A green frog with vibrant red eyes and orange feet is stretched out on a bright blue textured background. Its body and legs are speckled with small white dots. The frog's pose suggests motion, possibly mid-jump.

A colorful collage showcasing new features of an Apple device, including Ultra Wide macro, Spatial photos, iOS 18 customization, new Camera Control interface, AAA games support, USB-C, Dynamic Island, new vibrant colors, 48MP Fusion camera, and A18 chip.

Pricing and Availability

The iPhone 16 starts at $799 while the iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899. Both models start with 128GB of storage and retailers, Apple included, offer up to $800 off the new devices via a trade-in promotion.

Image credits: Apple

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