Apple’s new iPhone camera button is a big Gen Z bet

The iPhone 16’s new camera control button.

Apple has introduced a new button in its latest iPhone 16 lineup, and consumer experts say that the refreshed feature will be a hit with Gen Z.

The new camera control button, located on the right side of the device under its power button, lets users open the camera application with one touch, change the photos’ tones, and capture the photos without touching the phone’s screen.

But one feature of the new button seems tailored for Apple’s Gen Z audience. The new feature allows users to adjust the camera’s zoom level by swiping their finger along the button.

The feature will make taking 0.5x selfies, a Gen Z-beloved photo-taking method, way easier.

0.5x selfies are all the rage with Gen Z. Taking one involves adjusting the iPhone camera to the 0.5x zoom setting, flipping the phone around, and then pressing the volume button to take a picture.

The camera setting also allows users to capture a large group of people or a large part of the subject’s environment, which a regular front-camera selfie would not be able to do.

Consumer and marketing experts B-17 spoke to said that the new additions to the iPhone 16 are likely to resonate with younger buyers.

“In regards to whether the new Camera Control feature was designed with the Gen Z generation in mind, I think the simple one-word answer to that is ‘absolutely,'” said Monica Hillison, a marketing professor from Virginia Tech.

Hillison added that the function will work well with other platforms like Instagram or Google.

“Basically, think of the Camera Control feature as something that a third-party tool like Instagram, ChatGPT or Google can also potentially access and use to complement their own new tech developments such as AI features,” Hillison said.

Abdul Al Jumaily, also a marketing professor from Virginia Tech, said, “I believe the new camera feature will allow for a simpler, quicker and more controllable photo making experience.”

He added that feature refresh on the iPhone’s hardware could help Apple retain its “already incredibly loyal customer base.”

“The new camera control alongside larger screen and improved battery performance will cement the iPhone 16 Pro Max as the top choice for Gen Z consumers,” Al Jumaily said.

However, other experts B-17 spoke to think that the popularity of the new iPhone range will vary across different markets.

“Gen Z is not a homogenous group,” said Shantanu Dutta, a marketing professor at USC’s Marshall School of Business. “The benefits desired by Gen Z users differ from country to country.”

“For example in growth markets like Asia, India as an example, this enhanced benefit does not compensate for the higher price,” Dutta said.