The iPhone 16 Pro’s Camera Control Has Arrived on Android. Will It Stick Around?

In recent years, mobile innovation has followed a clear pattern: Android takes ideas from iOS, iOS integrates features from Android, and the cycle repeats. It’s an almost inevitable process in a market where competition drives manufacturers to constantly evolve.

But far from being a problem, this dynamic benefits users. Both operating systems offer the best of both worlds, with improvements that enhance the user experience, regardless of your preferred ecosystem. Ultimately, the real winners are the people who buy these smartphones because they end up with more complete devices.

The issue arises when a manufacturer gets “inspired” by features that haven’t quite resonated with customers. The iPhone 16’s Camera Control is one of these doldrums: User feedback on this feature has been largely critical.

Now, OPPO has stepped into the arena. It’s the first Android smartphone with a dedicated capacitive camera button—very different from the simpler camera button integrated into Sony’s Xperia line—and it likely won’t be the last. Realme is already testing a similar feature.

The problem? This button tries to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. However, it does have some positive aspects, such as quickly activating the camera. Unlocking the smartphone and opening the camera is already fast, but pressing the button twice is even faster. So far, so good.

The key challenge is that manufacturers haven’t made the button’s functions more convenient than existing touch-based controls.

For example, taking a picture—a simple task—feels awkward. Whether you’re holding the phone horizontally or vertically, you need to move your thumb close to the screen to take a shot. The process is instantaneous. However, the placement of these buttons, which doesn’t align naturally with your index finger (as it should if aiming to mimic a professional camera), forces you to adjust your grip. This is not only uncomfortable but also adds extra time to take a shot.

The same issue applies to zooming. Pinch-to-zoom gestures allow for more precision and speed than this capacitive button. When using your fingers, the zoom feels intuitive, while buttons require sliding back and forth, making the process slower and less precise.

The future of this feature may hinge on Apple. The lukewarm reception of the iPhone 16’s Camera Control suggests it might not be here to stay, but the market has started to emulate it. If Apple decides to abandon the feature, the industry will likely follow suit. Manufacturers have two options: refine the camera button to make it truly advantageous or accept that tapping the screen to take a picture wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

Image | Xataka En

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