We all know that fashion is cyclical, and apparently technology is too. Once upon a time, phones devoted more space to buttons than to the screen. As time went on, a trend largely led by Apple, phones had fewer and fewer buttons. Now, it’s hard to find any physical buttons on a phone apart from the volume controls and power button.
But that all changes with the iPhone 16 series, which Apple announced at its “Glowtime” event on Monday: The phones have one more button than their predecessors: It’s called Camera Control, and it’s a capacitive button that launches and controls the iPhone’s camera app.
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Continuation of the Apple event
This is what Apple said last year. iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Maxthere’s a programmable shortcut button above the volume keys, taking the number of physical buttons from three to four. This year, it’s increased from four to five, and even the base iPhone 16 gets an action button.
So, it’s official: Seven years after making us realize that the iPhone home button was gone, physical buttons are not only returning to the iPhone, but they’re growing in number. Some Android phones have had similar physical controls for years, but Apple has a history of leading the way when it comes to minimalist phone design, so this is an unusual and notable shift for the company.
Take a look at this: Apple’s iPhone 16 to feature camera control button
This move will be controversial. Some people will still be clinging to older iPhones with home buttons, and when they are forced to upgrade, they will be excited to have more physical control options. On the other hand, some may wonder why Apple needs to take such a step back. As someone who has been using a physical camera grip on my phone to capture some of my favorite photos this year, I personally am excited to see if the camera controls improve photography.
Returning to buttons was never an easy decision for Apple, but it was a trade-off for more exciting and complex features, especially when it comes to integrating Apple Intelligence into the iPhone. Over the years, the company has gradually reduced the ways we physically interact with our phones, including encouraging voice interaction with Siri. Instead of clicking, pressing and holding, we now swipe in and down from the edge of the screen.
But some experiences are better with buttons. Already this year, many new Windows laptops have introduced a dedicated Copilot button. To take full advantage of AI and software capabilities, baseline hardware requires some tweaks, and Apple seems to recognize that. Features like Apple Visual Intelligence (Apple’s version of Google Lens) will be directly at your fingertips. And the camera, still one of the most acclaimed features of the iPhone, will become more central and easily accessible.
Perhaps Apple will one day find new ways to integrate these controls that don’t require buttons, but for now, at least, it looks like physical buttons are officially back and getting new life as AI becomes more and more integrated into devices.
Want to pre-order the latest Apple devices? We’ve rounded up the best iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10, and AirPods 4 deals at launch.
Take a look at this: Check out everything announced at Apple’s iPhone 16 event
