Apple’s upcoming iPhone 18 will reportedly keep the Camera Control button, but in a revised form. Despite earlier speculation that the feature might be dropped, a new leak from China suggests Apple is instead working to simplify the component to reduce costs.
According to MacRumors, citing details from Weibo leaker Instant Digital, the Camera Control’s pressure-sensitive modules for the iPhone 18 series are still in trial production. Instant Digital has a track record of reliable leaks, making this a credible counter to earlier rumors that suggested Apple would completely remove the feature.
The Camera Control button was first introduced on the iPhone 16 series, combining both capacitive and pressure-sensitive sensors beneath a sapphire crystal surface. This setup allowed the button to recognize taps, presses, and swipes. However, the design is said to be expensive and prone to after-sales repair costs, prompting Apple to look for a more cost-effective solution.
Instant Digital claims Apple is removing the capacitive sensor from the dual-sensor design. The simplified button will rely solely on pressure sensing for all functions, similar to approaches seen in OPPO’s X8 Ultra and vivo’s X200 Ultra. With this setup, light taps, firm presses, and sliding gestures can all be recognized without the need for an additional touch layer.
This change reportedly stems from “significant internal cost pressure.” Apple is said to be facing high component and repair costs from the current version, while at the same time not all of its AI-driven Visual Intelligence features tied to the Camera Control have rolled out. This limits the button’s immediate value to users, making cost reduction a priority.
The leak also debunks earlier claims from another Weibo source that Apple was planning to completely eliminate the Camera Control button from the iPhone 18 lineup due to low user engagement. Such a move would have been a surprising reversal, given that the feature was only introduced last year with the iPhone 16 series. Instant Digital suggests that Apple’s strategy is refinement rather than removal.
If accurate, this adjustment means the iPhone 18 will continue to offer dedicated camera hardware controls, but in a more streamlined and less costly implementation. Apple’s focus appears to be on balancing new hardware features with long-term sustainability and repairability concerns.
