by Imagine: an easier way for Gen Z Apple users to take selfies.
That’s the reality of the new iPhone 16, unveiled this week. It has a button on the side of the device that specifically controls the camera.
The camera control function is located on the same side as the lock button and allows users to take a photo and even zoom in by swiping on the control button. It even lets you zoom out for a wide-angle shot.
Gen Z loves taking selfies with 0.5x zoom. To do that on older versions of the iPhone, they had to turn the camera around and press the volume button to take a picture.
“As for whether the new Camera Control feature is designed with Gen Z in mind, I think the simple answer in one word is ‘absolutely,'” Monica Hillison, a marketing professor at Virginia Tech, told Business Insider.
“Think of the camera control feature as basically something that a third-party tool like Instagram, ChatGPT, or Google might also have access to and use to complement their own new technological developments, like AI features.”
Another Virginia Tech marketing professor, Abdul Al Jumaily, told Business Insider that the innovative camera button will make phone photography “easier, faster and more controllable,” predicting that the device’s updated design could help the tech giant retain its “loyal customer base.”
“The new camera controls, along with a larger display and improved battery performance, will make iPhone 16 Pro Max the best choice for Gen Z consumers,” Al Jumaily added.
While other experts say it may not be as appealing to some Zoomers in other parts of the world, the latest version of the iPhone, due out September 20, has generated quite a bit of excitement in recent months as people rushed to guess what new features and colors would be available.
The iPhone 16, which will come in five colors — black, white, green, pink, and blue — will come with a slew of new features beyond the significant camera upgrade, including Apple Intelligence powered by ChatGPT, improved conversational capabilities with Siri, and more coming with iOS 18 software.
