Perhaps the biggest new feature of the iPhone 16 line this year will be the inclusion of a Capture button for the camera. If the rumors and leaks are correct, this capacitive, haptics-enabled button will be located on the right side of the phone and a little further down so that it will rest under your index finger when you hold your iPhone in landscape orientation to take a photo or video.
This button will have multiple functions and be available on both iPhone 16 and 16 Pro models, according to rumors. Several third-party case leaks have shown a long cutout on the side for reaching the button and its many functions.
However, according to a new leak from DuanRui (a known Chinese leaker), Apple’s official silicone cases will not have a cutout for this button. He shared an image of a third-party, unofficial case on X to show the difference.
The image shows iPhone 16 (non-Pro) cases with a cutout where the Capture button is expected to be. The interesting part is the text, which Google Translate tells us says: “It is said that the official protective case of Apple iPhone 16 series does not have this opening and will be made into an integrated design, which will not affect the normal use of this capacitive button.”
We have seen this with other iPhone buttons in the past. Some official Apple cases have covered side buttons, for instance (just as the pictured third-party case does). But more than even the Action button, this button is a bit more high-tech with more capabilities that go beyond merely pressing. A thinner silicone membrane can give the area over a button enough flexibility to easily depress it, and a capacitive material can make sure that touch and pressure sensitivity works properly.
Apple will unveil the iPhone 16 at its Glowtime event on Monday, September 9 at 10am PT.
Author: Jason Cross, Senior Editor, Macworld
Jason has written about technology for more than 25 years - first in the gaming press, then focusing on enthusiast PCs and general technology. He enjoys learning how complicated technology works and explaining it in a way anyone can understand.