The Capture button will reportedly come to the entire iPhone 16 lineup. This includes the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. According to multiple different CAD drawings and dummy units, the iPhone 16’s Capture button will be located on the right side of the phones.
Codenamed “Project Nova,” the button is likely to be one of the main selling points of the iPhone 16 lineup, assuming it gets past the initial testing phase. The Capture Button is located on the same side as the Power button, only positioned slightly lower – where the mmWave cutout can be found on more recent iPhone models. The mmWave cutout has been moved to the opposite side, located under the volume buttons. It is currently unknown what the new capacitive button will be used for.
The Capture Button is expected to be a capacitive button rather than a standard mechanical one. Capacitive buttons, unlike mechanical buttons, do not move when pressed down. Instead, the button detects pressure and touch, providing haptic feedback through the use of haptic engines. The buttons are expected to work similarly to the Home Button on the iPhone 7 series, which mimics the press of a physical button through the built-in Taptic Engine. According to the sources, the capacitive buttons will feature force sensor functionality. Force sensors detect applied force, and convert the magnitude of force into electrical signals.
Along with the new Capture Button, the iPhone 16 lineup is expected to gain a capacitive Action Button. Known as “Project Atlas,” the haptic Action Button uses a design similar to the Capture Button, using strain gauges and reluctance motor to provide the necessary haptic feedback.
In addition to the Capture Button and upgraded Action Button, the base model iPhone 16 is expected to feature a redesigned camera bump, with vertical camera arrangement akin to the iPhone 12. The Pro models are also set to feature an increase in screen size, from 6.1″ and 6.7″ to 6.3″ and 6.9″, respectively.
