iPhone 18 may drop a key feature, but would anyone even care?

Apple’s introduction of the Camera Control button on the iPhone 16 made it sound like one of the greatest innovations in the history of the iPhone. Just a year later, it appears that the company may change direction and drop the button with the 2026 iPhone 18 because not enough users are using it.

A post by Weibo leaker OvO OvO OvO OvO, formerly known as OvO Baby Sauce OvO, claims(source in Chinese) that Apple has informed its suppliers that it will stop ordering the components needed for the Camera Control button. The reasoning behind the decision is that the feature doesn’t drive enough engagement among users, and Apple wants to cut production costs.

That claim must be taken with a grain of salt for a few reasons. Firstly, the leaker behind it lacks any proven track record and doesn’t cite any sources of this particular information. More importantly, they’re better known for aggregating rumors from other leakers than sharing new information.

Secondly, it might be a bit too early for such big decisions with the iPhone 18. The iPhone 17 hasn’t even launched yet, and it’ll be only the second iPhone generation with a Camera Control button. That could give Apple a better sense of how popular the feature might be when more users have access to it.

On the other hand, the Camera Control button has caused mixed feelings even among Apple fans. There was praise for the tactile experience and advanced camera controls, but some people felt it was redundant alongside the on-screen controls. The feature was also barely copied by other manufacturers.

Earlier controversial hardware decisions by Apple felt different. The removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack and the introduction of the notch were as divisive as anyone could have imagined, but quickly spread among the competition. 

Shortly after the iPhone 16 premiere, companies like Realme, Oppo, and Nubia announced their versions of the Camera Control button, but few others followed suit. It is unlikely Samsung or Google would follow Apple’s lead and introduce a similar button to a device like the Galaxy S26 or Pixel 11. That might be a signal for how unpopular such a button would be, or for Apple’s waning influence over the smartphone industry.

I don’t think we need physical buttons beyond the volume controls and the lock buttons. Most Android manufacturers use one of those buttons to launch the camera, which is more than enough. That’s why I wouldn’t miss the Camera Control button if it disappeared, though I don’t think Apple would go that way. Its focus on Apple Intelligence and the ability to launch visual intelligence with a button sounds like something too important for Apple to leave behind after only a couple of years.