Apple is planning to add a new "Capture Button" to the iPhone 16 models, as we first reported back in September. When the news broke about the extra button, we didn't initially know what it was for, but the name gave us some hints and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman confirmed in December that it would be used for taking video.
The Information has now shared a few new details on the function of the Capture Button, including some of the gestures that it will support. The site says that the button is mechanical rather than capacitive, but it will respond to pressure and touch.
iPhone users will be able to zoom in and out by swiping left and right on the button, focus with a light press, and activate a recording with a more forceful press.
Apple plans to put the Capture Button on the right side of the iPhone, located below the Power button and in an ideal spot for finger access when the iPhone is held in a horizontal orientation. At the current time, this is the location of the mmWave antenna in the United States, but the antenna will move to the left side of the device with the addition of the extra button.
According to The Information, Apple believes the new button will be a major selling point for the iPhone 16 lineup, and it is being introduced to further push the iPhone as a camera alternative for shooting horizontal video.
Apple has not yet finalized the design of the iPhone 16, so the function and design of the button could change in the future.
