The rumors might be wrong — iPhone 18's camera control could evolve, not end

Closeup of iPhone 16 Pro Max Camera Control button. — (Image credit: Future)

A rumor started circulating recently that Apple would ditch its controversial Camera Control feature with the iPhone 18. Some Apple fans rejoiced at the idea of the feature being removed, while others were disappointed to see the company give up so quickly instead of refining it.

Now, another report has surfaced from noted Weibo leaker Instant Digital, which claims that Apple is actually refining the Camera Control feature rather than ditching it entirely.

According to the leak, Apple is looking to simplify Camera Control to save costs, rather than removing it. Instead of offering capacitive and pressure-sensing functionality, this rumor says Apple will only offer a pressure-sensing button.

Whether a simplification is what users are looking for with the controversial feature remains to be seen. Even with the changes, the report says it'll offer similar touch, longer press and swiping gestures as the current iteration of the feature.

Camera Control is expensive to manufacture and also costly and repair. Coupled with the fact that many buyers don't actually like or use it, it's understandable that Apple would want to review the feature and improve it — especially one that costs less to manufacture.

In fact, there may be some internal pressure from Apple leadership to reduce the cost of manufacturing the feature, as it's not being used as widely as the company had hoped.

Interestingly, leaker Instant Digital has a solid track record, particularly with regard to Camera Control rumors. When Apple first added Camera Control to the iPhone, they were among the first to report its existence. There's no mention of Camera Control on the iPhone 17 series of devices, so we must assume the feature isn't changing significantly there.

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Dave LeClair is the Senior News Editor for Tom's Guide, keeping his finger on the pulse of all things technology. He loves taking the complicated happenings in the tech world and explaining why they matter. Whether Apple is announcing the next big thing in the mobile space or a small startup advancing generative AI, Dave will apply his experience to help you figure out what's happening and why it's relevant to your life.

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