The new hardware feature for the entire iPhone 16 lineup this year is the Camera Control. While it’s a fun idea, the execution could have been better.
Now that the year is starting to wind down, all the major flagship smartphone launches of 2024, including Apple’s iPhone 16 line, are behind us.
As an iPhone user for over the past decade, I found the iPhone 16 launch exciting, as Apple finally gave us some of the best darn colors for the base model in quite some time. And don’t forget that the base models also got quite a few features previously exclusive to the Pro models, like the Action button, a two-year jump in power with the A18, and the new Camera Control button that’s on all iPhone 16 variations.
Camera Control is one of the features of the iPhone 16 series that I was most excited about, and I’m still pretty happy that we got it. But there are also some things I feel Apple got wrong with the Camera Control, at least in its current state.The position is awkward
Last year, the Action button replaced the old silent/ring switch above the volume buttons. This year, Apple added the Camera Control, an entirely new button that hasn’t replaced anything prior.
Right now, on the iPhone 16/Plus/Pro/Max, the Camera Control is flush with the right side of the flat frame on the lower half. It’s not quite at the bottom; it’s just a bit below the halfway point.
After using the Camera Control, I’m not a fan of its placement on the iPhone 16. I’ve often pressed the button unintentionally when picking up my phone from a table, which is annoying because it can unlock the phone when I don’t intend to use it (due to my Apple Watch).
Another thing that I’ve noticed is that the current position is a little too far in to use comfortably for landscape photos.
