Apple’s new iPhone 16 button is being called ‘incredible’ and the ‘coolest feature ever’ – but some fans are worried it won’t work with a case
Apple fans are enjoying one of their favorite moments of the year: the announcement of a new iPhone.
The iPhone 16 unveiled last night features new AI capabilities, an improved camera, longer battery life and comes in a range of colours.
But it’s the arrival of a brand new button on the side of the device that has people excited.
Pressing the capture button once brings up the camera app, which lets you take photos. The button even provides haptic feedback, just like a video game controller.
Commenters are calling the handy selfie shortcut “incredible” and the “coolest feature ever,” but other fans are concerned that the shortcut doesn’t work with a case.
The capture button, located on the edge of the phone on the right side of the screen, needs to be pressed once to open the camera app and take photos
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus were the first two smartphones unveiled at the event, with Apple claiming they ‘mark the beginning of a new era for iPhone’
With the new iPhone 16, a firm press of the capture button (located on the right edge of the phone’s screen) instantly opens the camera app, while a second press instantly takes a photo.
But users can also scroll back and forth along the length of the button with their finger to zoom in and out.
Fans have naturally started wondering how this will work with a case that covers the edges of the device.
Apple’s website says the record button works “seamlessly” with a new phone case that features “sapphire crystal” and a “conductive layer to communicate finger gestures.”
Apple is selling this official iPhone 16 case in a range of colours on its website for the hefty price of £49 – an additional spend on top of the price of the phone itself.
Commenters called it “incredible” and the “coolest feature ever,” but other fans are concerned it won’t work with a case
A firm press of the capture button will instantly bring up the camera app, while a second press will take a photo. However, users can also scroll their finger back and forth along the length of the button to zoom in and out. Naturally, fans began to wonder how that would work with a case on the device
Another X user said: ‘But then you have to buy a phone case. ‘I wonder how you’re going to use that camera function then.’
X user @Erick_O_Mokua said the record button “looks incredible” in response to a video demonstrating how it works
This official case doesn’t have a cutout for the capture button, but instead uses “sapphire crystal” and a “conductive layer to communicate finger gestures”
This means that the record button may not work on cases sold by third parties. MailOnline has contacted Apple for more information.
The record button is flush with the side of the phone and does not stick out. This can make it harder to press with a case than without.
MailOnline’s Shivali Best, who is in Cupertino for the iPhone 16 unveiling, said the new button “needs to be pressed firmly” and “takes some getting used to”.
The iPhone 16, which is due out on September 20, also comes with another button, the “action button,” on the opposite side, above the volume buttons.
While the action button was only available on the iPhone 15 Pro smartphones last year, Apple has included it on all four iPhone 16 variants this year.
Apple’s new iPhone 16 will come in many more pastel and vibrant colors than previous models
The iPhone 16, which starts at $799/£799, comes in two screen sizes: 6.1 inches and 6.7 inches for the Plus model (which costs £899/$899).
Meanwhile, the two most expensive options – the Pro and Pro Max – have 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays respectively, and cost £999/$999 and £1,199/$1,199.
The phones are powered by new A18 chips, which feature a 16-core neural engine designed for generative AI-linked tasks and Apple Intelligence.
