iPhone 15 has just arrived, but we’re already getting leaks about the iPhone 16. Much in the same vein as the Action Button, it’s looking likely that we will get yet another button on the phone’s chassis, according to MacRumors.
The whole iPhone 16 lineup looks set to receive something known internally as the Capture Button. It’s particularly interesting because throughout the lifespan of the iPhone, Apple has prided itself on keeping the experience as simple as possible when it comes to buttons.
But now, from the Action Button in the 15 Pro to this new Capture Button, we’re seeing this strict cleanliness start to ease in favor of improving user experience.
Capacitive capture
Codenamed “Project Nova,” the Capture Button is set to be placed on the same side as the power button — replacing where the mmWave cutout currently is (that will be moved over to the opposite side, beneath the volume buttons).
I doubt you need me to tell you about its purpose, as the name is a bit of a giveaway. But since nothing direct has been reported about what it does, we can take an educated guess and say its primary purpose is to be a new camera shutter button that is on the same side as the camera itself.
The idea of using the Action Button as a camera shutter, while the camera module is on across the bottom, is a small pet peeve of mine, so I’m glad the Cupertino chums are looking into this.
But that’s not the only big thing coming with this. You may remember that iPhone 15 looked primed and ready to make the switch from mechanical buttons to capacitive switches — using haptic feedback to simulate the feel of pushing a physical button. It looks as if the 16th generation is where we may see it finally happen, provided there are no more hardware issues with it.
Outlook
One key bit of info is that while the Action Button seems to remain a Pro iPhone-only feature, the Capture Button looks set to come to all iPhone 16s — even the standard 16 and 16 Plus. This is going to be great in terms of minimizing any chances of camera shake that comes from tapping the screen.
Whether this will happen is something we’re going to be waiting a while to find out, as we’ve only just got the iPhone 15s (reviews coming soon). This is all pre-production information after all, so take it with a small pinch of salt!
