New iPhone 16 case leak reveals “integrated design” for new camera button

Anurag Singh
Image showing iPhone 15 Pro from the side

Apple is reported to launch a new button with the iPhone 16 called the “Capture Button,” and a new leak points to how phone cases will accommodate it.

The new iPhone 16 lineup is expected to introduce a bunch of design changes. The standard iPhone 16 and 16 Plus might get a new camera layout, while the Pro models could have sharper bezels. All four iPhones are rumored to feature the new Capture Button.

It will be a flat button that detects touch by measuring changes in capacitance, which raises questions about how case manufacturers will adapt to this design. However, according to X user Duan Rui, Apple already has a plan for its own cases.

Duan Rui says Apple’s iPhone 16 cases won’t have a separate cutout for the Capture button. Instead, the company is going with an “integrated design” that keeps the Capture button’s capacitive surface working just fine, even without a dedicated cutout.

Previous reports have shown that the new button on the iPhone 16 will let you swipe left and right on its surface to zoom in and out. You can also press the Capture button lightly to focus the image and then press harder to snap the photo. If this reminds you of a DSLR, you’re not alone.

The button is said to be placed on the right-hand side of the iPhone 16, where the mmWave 5G antenna is found on iPhone 15 models.

The new iPhone 16 lineup is set to debut on September 9 at Apple’s “It’s Glowtime” event. Along with the new iPhones, we should also see the Watch 10 series and new AirPods.

There’s chatter about a new iPad Mini making an appearance at the same event, and some reports even hint at the iPhone SE 4 being announced, though that seems a bit unlikely.