The iPhone's camera button "died in the second generation." Is it embarrassing for domestic phones that copy it pixel by pixel?

The "camera button" on Apple devices is about to disappear.

Of course, I'm not saying that all camera buttons will disappear. At least, they will still be retained on the iPhone 17 series. However, based on current information, it's highly likely that the camera button will be removed from the next - generation iPhone. Moreover, the camera buttons that some domestic flagship phones have imitated might also be directly abandoned by manufacturers.

Hey, I'm not just making this up out of thin air.

Recently, several well - known digital bloggers on X almost simultaneously spread the news and started surveying their followers' opinions on the camera button. A French blogger even directly stated that according to the supply chain's inventory information, Apple might officially abandon the camera button on the next - generation iPhone.

(Image source: Weibo)

What's even more interesting is that, according to the statements of well - known domestic digital bloggers such as @Digital Chat Station, although OPPO has confirmed that the OPPO Find X9 will be equipped with a camera button, several leading domestic brands are indeed re - evaluating this configuration. It's currently uncertain whether the imaging flagships to be launched next year will continue to retain it.

Seriously, I still remember how, after last year's Apple press conference, top digital bloggers at home and abroad praised this tiny button to the skies and repeatedly educated consumers with statements like "the last piece of the puzzle for mobile photography to move towards professionalism."

Now, when we put the frenzy of those top bloggers at that time together with the delight shown by consumers when they heard that the camera button might be cancelled, the show effect is truly off the charts.

(Image source: Weibo)

The question is, what exactly did this highly anticipated button do wrong? Why has its short and noisy "life" ended up in such a situation?

Domestic phones have been "paying pixel - level homage"

In fact, in the field of physical camera buttons, non - Apple camps are the real "veterans."

As early as the feature phone era, on models like the Sony Ericsson Cyber - shot series and the Nokia N series, the two - stage camera button was already a standard feature on high - end imaging phones. Later, the Sony Xperia series even regarded this design as part of its family DNA and adhered to it for more than a decade.

(Image source: Xperia 1 VII)

However, the persistence of these predecessors didn't cause much of a stir in the industry.

The reason is simple. In an era that pursued integration and minimalist aesthetics, an additional opening or button meant more design burdens and increased manufacturing costs.

Of course, the most important thing is that they are not "Apple."

I think we all know the tendency of domestic manufacturers. In short, most of them will follow whatever Apple does, whether it's good or bad.

Especially since the end of last year, all these domestic flagship phones have been aligning with the "Apple style." If the iPhone has a camera button, they'll add a camera control button; if the iPhone has an operation button, they'll equip a shortcut key; if the iPhone has always used a straight - edged screen, they'll naturally go back to using straight - edged screens too.

(Image source: vivo)

Naturally, BBK and OPPO, which are always eager to make a big deal out of imaging, won't miss such an opportunity.

OPPO, which has always been committed to the "Apple style," was the first to follow this configuration. As early as the OPPO Find X8 Pro, they introduced a highly similar pressure - sensitive camera button. In addition to focusing, shooting, and zooming functions, it also provides delicate vibration feedback in combination with self - developed algorithms and linear motors, striving for a "pixel - level" restoration.

vivo, on the other hand, installed a capacitive camera button on the super - high - end flagship vivo X200 Ultra released this year. It combines a two - stage shutter with a dial. In addition to the basic functions of half - pressing for focusing and full - pressing for shooting, sliding the dial can adjust the exposure compensation or aperture value, and it can even quickly switch between different Zeiss classic lens packs.

Interestingly, apart from these two manufacturers, other leading manufacturers seem to be uninterested this time.

(Image source: Huawei)

Due to the heavy criticism they received for previously "paying homage" to Apple, there's no news that Xiaomi will add a camera button. They don't even seem interested in following the trend of features like the Dynamic Island. As for Huawei, they chose to take a different approach. On the Pura 80 series, they added a camera control function to the side fingerprint button, enabling slide - zooming and tap - shooting.

You have to admit that this "multi - function in one button" concept doesn't add extra design redundancy. Instead, it reflects Huawei's unique thinking in function integration.

Glory, on the other hand, added a camera control button to its budget phones. Considering the mediocre imaging and performance of these products, the whole thing seems rather meaningless.

(Image source: Huawei)

In a sense, being more like Apple is the key reason for these manufacturers to flock to this feature.

The Achilles' heel of the iPhone camera button: neither fast nor convenient

Interestingly, even the original Apple camera control button quickly led to a polarization of users after the novelty wore off.

As early as in the article "This button has ruined the iPhone 16" published by Lei Technology last year, we stated our various dissatisfaction with the camera button. Apple tried to integrate too many functions into a single button, making it cumbersome and impractical. In actual use, the logic was confusing and the operation was awkward. Especially during function switching and portrait - mode operation, it was completely counter - intuitive and was an "unqualified" half - baked product.

If you want to see our detailed test of the camera button, you can go back and read that article.

In fact, there are also many netizens on foreign platforms who share the same view as us. To quote the most striking view of the original author, "The camera control won't bring joy to anyone. It's just a marketing gimmick that can be found in any other tech company."

(Image source: MacRumors)

What a sarcastic comment. I'll secretly give it a thumbs - up here.

Interestingly, the "homage" of domestic manufacturers has further amplified this controversy. The implicit and explicit interest disputes have almost split the online users' attitudes into two camps.

On Weibo, you can indeed see some digital bloggers and photography enthusiasts cheering for the camera button.

In their eyes, the value of this button is undeniable. Holding the phone horizontally with the index finger on the button, half - pressing for focusing and full - pressing for shooting, you can immediately feel the professional camera - like control, especially when shooting long - range or night scenes. Pressing the physical button is much more stable than tapping the screen, which can truly improve the success rate of shooting.

(Image source: Lei Technology)

For them, this is the embodiment of "professionalism."

As for the opposing side, their arguments are more practical and closer to the daily life of ordinary people.

Not to mention the feel of the button, the high repair cost, and its impact on phone cases, Apple has stuffed too many functions into this tiny button that's less than 2 centimeters long. Single - clicking or double - clicking starts the camera, gently pinching locks the focus and exposure, double - tapping enters the dial, pressing once more enters the slider, and then sliding left or right adjusts the parameters. It's really over - burdened.

After actual testing, it's impossible to achieve seamless switching between focal lengths, exposure compensation, and depth of field using this button.

Every time you want to switch functions, you need to quickly press the button twice without taking your finger off the touch area of the camera button, find the corresponding option in the menu, and press it once to adjust the relevant parameters. Once your finger leaves the touch area or the pressing speed is a bit slow, the whole operation process will be abruptly interrupted.

(Image source: Lei Technology)

In fact, for almost all half - press functions, the camera button is inferior to the existing touch - screen control on the phone.

Taking the iPhone 16 Pro as an example, to switch the focal length on the touch screen, you just need to click the magnification button at the bottom of the camera. But to switch using the camera button, you need to double - click to open the function menu, slide to select the focal length menu, and then slowly move to the 1.0, 1.2, or 1.5 position on a long slider:

(Image source: Lei Technology)

Well... you can hardly imagine anything more redundant than this.

What's even more unbearable is the various accidental touches caused by the camera control button. Although iOS has designed a three - level pressure - sensitive function for this button, even setting the trigger force to the highest level can't effectively avoid accidental touches. The camera might suddenly open by itself when the phone is in your pocket or in your hand, which is both power - consuming and embarrassing.

The functions are not obvious, and there are a lot of problems. I just want to ask, with so many limitations, what's the meaning of an independent physical camera button?

Why did the iPhone camera button fail after only two generations?

Let's go back to the original question:

Why might this highly anticipated and quickly imitated camera button fade away after just two generations of products?

I think the fundamental reason is the low "input - output ratio."

For manufacturers, adding a camera control button means a whole set of costs from design to production, which will ultimately be borne by consumers. However, for users, its value is rather vague. It's more like a flashy function for show rather than a necessary one.

(Image source: Lei Technology)

To put it simply, most people's muscle memory is to tap the screen. Few people are willing to sacrifice battery life and pay a higher price for an infrequently used function.

As for why Apple bothered to promote this function in the first place? In my opinion, it's a product strategy. Apple needs to find a unique hardware selling point that can reflect "professionalism" for the Pro series, and the camera button is the answer, targeting a very small group of top - end users.

The follow - up of domestic manufacturers is more out of competitive anxiety. In the high - end market, they think they can't be without what Apple has. This is a form of defense rather than innovation.

When the market calmed down and users voted with their wallets, manufacturers realized how costly it is to follow a "non