Future iPads likely to get iPhone’s Camera Control button; Here's how it could work

Taking photos on an iPad could become a little easier if Apple follows through on an idea it appears to have been exploring. A newly granted patent shows a tablet with a physical control that can respond to different types of touch, including taps, swipes and presses.

The technology is familiar if you have used a recent iPhone, but its appearance on an iPad would give Apple's larger devices a new way to handle camera controls.

Patent points to iPad Camera Control

According to Apple Insider, the patent, titled “Input System for Portable Electronic Device”, contains 20 drawings and charts, most of which depict iPads. Three illustrations show an iPhone, while others provide close-up views of how the control works. Apple does not explicitly call the device an iPad or the feature Camera Control, instead using terms such as “input member” and “strain sensing element”.

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The patent describes two strain-sensing elements inside the control. By comparing readings from both sensors, the device could determine where the user has pressed. A separate dome switch could respond when the applied force crosses a higher threshold.

This means the same physical control could recognise a light tap, a swipe or a harder press. It would also provide haptic feedback when the required pressure is applied.

How the pressure-sensitive control works

Apple's patent goes into unusual detail about the amount of force required. The first threshold is described as being between around 0.8 and 1.2 Newtons, while the second could range from about 3.0 to 4.0 Newtons.

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For you, that could mean different camera actions depending on how you interact with the control, rather than relying entirely on the touchscreen.

The concept closely matches the Camera Control introduced with the iPhone 16 series in 2024. The iPhone feature allows users to interact with the camera through physical pressure and swiping gestures.

No iPad launch confirmed yet

The patent follows an earlier version of the same proposal filed in December 2025, suggesting Apple has been seriously considering bringing the control to its tablets. However, Apple files hundreds of patents, and even a granted patent does not guarantee that the technology will become part of a commercial product.

For now, there is no confirmation about which iPad could get the feature or when it might arrive. So, if you are considering an iPad purchase, this patent alone should not be treated as evidence that a Camera Control-equipped model is coming soon.