The iPhone 16 is Getting a New Button: Here's What It Can Do

Multiple rumors have suggested that the iPhone 16 models are going to have an all-new button that's designed to make it easier to capture photos when the devices are held in landscape mode.

iPhone 16 Pro Right Side Feature
Apple calls the button the Capture Button internally, and it is going to be one of the most advanced buttons that's been introduced to date with support for multiple gestures and the ability to respond to pressure. Here's everything the button will be able to do, according to rumors:

  • Lightly press on the button to autofocus while capturing an image or video.
  • Press harder on the button to take a photo.
  • Swipe left and right on the button to zoom in and out.
  • There may also be a gesture for switching between photo mode and video mode, similar to how you can capture a video with a press and swipe in the iPhone camera app.

The ability to autofocus with a light press on the button will be a gesture that DSLR camera owners are used to, as this is often how you autofocus when using a high-end camera.

Apple plans to put the button on the right side of the ‌iPhone‌, in the space where the mmWave antenna is on iPhones that are sold in the United States. The mmWave antenna will be moving to the left side of the device to make space.

The Capture Button has been depicted in CAD renders and dummy models of all four ‌iPhone‌ devices, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman this week suggested that there is a possibility that it will only be available on the Pro models.

With the Capture Button, Apple will be able to encourage users to take images and videos captured in landscape orientation, which are better viewed on the Vision Pro headset.

Along with a Capture Button, the ‌iPhone 16‌ models will feature slightly bigger displays, a new A18 chip that supports Apple Intelligence, and 8GB RAM for all models, which is necessary to power Apple's AI models. For more on what's expected, make sure to check out our iPhone 16 roundup.

Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

Friday March 28, 2025 2:01 pm PDT by
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect. There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

Friday March 28, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things. Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...

Top Rated Comments

felixroqu3 Avatar
8 months ago

and it is going to be one of the most advanced buttons that's been introduced to date
This is too damn funny ?
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CharlesShaw Avatar
8 months ago
"No, mom. Look for another button above the one you just tried."
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
magicvash Avatar
8 months ago
so we’re back to adding buttons now?
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cjsuk Avatar
8 months ago
I think they should just get rid of them apart from the new action button.

1. Press it to put the phone on silent.
2. Roll your finger up to increase volume
3. Roll your finger down to instantly mute it.
4. Press towards one end to take a photo.
5. Press towards the other end to call 911.
6. Flick it to express dismay at the current app and rate it one star.
7. Lick it to order dinner.
8. Shout at it to summon Siri
9. Caress it slowly in circles to make a phone call.
10. Caress it slowly in circles in the opposite direction to set off an emergency alert.
11. Triple press it to unlock the phone
12. Double press it to turn flight mode on.
13. Tap -.-. .- -- . .-. .- to open the camera.

See look what you can do with just that one button!
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OnePieceIsReal Avatar
8 months ago
iPhone 18 going to have 10 buttons soon lol
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macford Avatar
8 months ago
Well this will be fun for case manufacturers.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)