Just like the notch, iPhone 16’s camera control button is already being copied

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A close-up image of iPhone 16's camera control button being used
Though Apple is often mocked for some of the decisions it makes, other brands often always rush to copy it. From the notch, to the dynamic island and even the removal of chargers in boxes, Apple has set many trends in the smartphone industry. And even though Oppo was the first to remove the headphone jack it was still Apple that popularized it. Now, the iPhone 16’s new camera control button is next.

Aside from AI on iPhone 16 the camera control button might be the only other reason worth getting Apple’s newest phones. It’s basically turned the iPhone into a very smart professional camera, and Realme was first on the scene to “take inspiration”.

Chase Xu — VP and Chief Marketing Officer at Realme — shared a short video on popular Chinese social media platform Weibo. The phone that is shown looks to be a new unannounced model that is currently under development.


The camera button shown in the video is in the same easily-accessible spot as on the iPhone 16. Even the functionality is exactly the same: opening the camera app, zooming in and out and taking a picture.

If Realme has gotten to the camera control button I expect other Chinese brands like Huawei and Honor will soon too. And there’s a pretty good chance Samsung and Google might follow suit.

I personally don’t care too much, simply because I didn’t care back when each year’s upgrade seemed to just be a better camera. A better phone with newer capabilities is something I’m much more interested in and AI is giving us that. Hence why I’m waiting to see how Apple Intelligence compares to Gemini and Galaxy AI.

I’ve also never taken offense at companies copying certain Apple features. The removal of the headphone jack will forever haunt me but I genuinely love how dynamic island looks. So I’m okay with other brands making their own versions of it and I’m perfectly fine with copies of the camera control button.

The iPhone 16 is probably going to be one of the best phones worth buying today. And if Realme can give some of Apple’s newest features to consumers at a lower cost, all the more power to them I say.

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