The iPhone 16’s Camera Control feature arrived to mixed reviews, including from me. But iOS 18.2 upgrades the feature in several key ways, making it what it was always meant to be.
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When Apple announced the iPhone 16 in September, the company showcased some of the capabilities of the new Camera Control – including the ability to switch between camera modes and swipe to zoom. But there was one feature missing, and it’s now coming with the latest beta of iOS 18.2. That’s the ability to lock focus and exposure using Camera Control.
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Macworld enjoys its more provocative pieces, the latest of which takes issue not just with the Camera Control button on the iPhone 16, but with the Action button before it.
Those particular views aside, it goes on to argue that a fixed(ish) annual iPhone update cycle forces Apple to launch new phones before it really has enough to offer …
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Apple has a new video out promoting the iPhone 16. While previous ads have spotlighted the forthcoming Apple Intelligence features, this latest video is all about Camera Control. And if you pay close attention, you’ll notice a key detail about Apple’s intended use for the new button.
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Back in February, I talked about the difficulty of smoothly zooming video footage using the on-screen controls, and said I’d really love a hardware control. The iPhone 16 looked like it might give me what I wanted, with the Camera Control video zoom feature.
Unfortunately, right now, it doesn’t. Using the Camera Control slider to zoom in or out during video shooting is currently so bad it’s unusable …
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Halide for iPhone 16 is out today with expanded Camera Control features that bring simplicity to the somewhat complex button. The makers of Halide emphasize a desire to make their app’s Camera Control features as simple and useful as tradition shutter buttons on dedicated cameras.
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The iPhone 16’s biggest selling point, according to Apple, is the forthcoming Apple Intelligence feature set. However, Camera Control has to be a close second. The new dedicated camera button packs a lot of functionality, but after a few days with my iPhone 16 Pro, I’ve found that I prefer using Camera Control as a simple button. Here’s how you, too, can adjust Camera Control to make it simpler and more stripped down.
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