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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.

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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.