iOS 18 Will Let You Activate Third-Party Camera From iPhone's Lock Screen or Action Button

[MacRumors]

iOS 18 includes a new LockedCameraCapture framework for developers, which will bring some useful new functionality to third-party apps with camera features. The update will let a third-party camera app be opened directly from the Lock Screen.

The expansion of Control Center in iOS 18 allows for third-party apps to be added to Control Center for quick access, and Control Center integrates with both the Lock Screen and the Action button. With this integration, third-party camera apps such as Halide will be able to create a Control Center camera button, which can then be added to the Control Center and stored in the new Control Center gallery.

The Lock Screen's standard Camera and Flashlight quick access buttons can be replaced with other Control Center integrations, including third-party ones, plus the Action button can be set to a Control Center control. So the ultimate result of all of this interconnection is the option to have a quick access camera button for a third-party camera app on the Lock Screen, rather than being limited to Apple's built-in Camera.

Further, with the specific LockedCameraCapture framework, the third-party camera app will be able to be opened into camera mode while an iPhone is locked, mimicking the functionality that's available with the standard Camera app.

Use the LockedCameraCapture framework to create an extension that allows people to launch your app's camera experience and capture content quickly when the device is locked. This extension makes your camera experience accessible to people from Control Center, the Lock Screen, or the Action button.

The framework allows for a button that opens directly into the camera of an app, even if the camera is not the app's only feature. Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and similar social networks could use this option to create a Control Center camera button able to be added to the Lock Screen that will allow for the quick capturing of photos and videos that could then be uploaded after unlocking a device.

Note that this would not upload content directly, as there is wording in the framework that requires the iPhone to be unlocked to view or complete a task with the video or photo captured from a locked iPhone.

This option will also be useful for iPhone users who prefer to capture images with a third-party camera app like Halide, as it will make the Halide camera feel much more like a default camera app able to be opened up by means other than activating it from the Home Screen.

Developers will need to add this framework to their apps, so it is a capability that we'll start seeing in action following the public launch of iOS 18 this fall.

Article Link: iOS 18 Will Let You Activate Third-Party Camera From iPhone's Lock Screen or Action Button

 

[NT1440]

That’s neat!

 

[bradman83]

Glad to see that Apple is starting to add these types of options to open up various iPhone features to work with third party apps before developers have to complain or regulators get involved.

 

[The Game 161]

It’s took a while but apple are finally letting people customise

 

[dlewis23]

Lot of nice quality of life improvements with iOS 18. Very happy with it.

 

[Tofupunch]

The ability to invoke Halide with the Action button without unlocking the phone? Awesome!

 

[Nozuka]

It is time for the EU to step in. Other developers should be able to make a settings app, which you can use to set the action button or lockscreen button to the apple camera. i think it is unfair, that you can only do it the other way around!

 

[Jamie0003]

Conspiracy theory: I wonder if Apple is making all these changes they’d never historically make because they know iOS will need to be opened up worldwide in future?

Trying to Sherlock third party alt store devs

 

[al256]

Conspiracy theory: I wonder if Apple is making all these changes they’d never historically make because they know iOS will need to be opened up worldwide in future?

Trying to Sherlock third party alt store devs

It's a new behavior related to the antitrust liability.

 

[Neblinio]

And what will happen if you swipe the screen left? it'll open the third party camera app, or iOS built in Camera app?

 

[WarmWinterHat]

And what will happen if you swipe the screen left? it'll open the third party camera app, or iOS built in Camera app?

My question is, will it let you disable swipe to open camera?

I've been wanting the camera fully inaccessible to my locked device since Apple added the feature.

 

[kirky29]

You still can't change the swipe left though, I don't think you can disable it either?

 

[JoshuaBru]

Steve is absolutely rolling in his grave

 

[Nozuka]

I've been wanting the camera fully inaccessible to my locked device since Apple added the feature.

But how will i make funny pictures on other peoples phones?

 

[Supermallet]

Now let developers access the action button so it can be used as a shutter in third party camera apps, as a control input in games, etc.

 

[Nozuka]

Now let developers access the action button so it can be used as a shutter in third party camera apps, as a control input in games, etc.

Don't think that will happen. Then it loses the function it was supposed to have in all those apps.

 

[weezin]

This is great! All third party camera apps have been a non-starter for me as I invoke the camera from the lockscreen 99.99% of the time.

 

[shenfrey]

It’s took a while but apple are finally letting people customise

They are finally seeing and targeting one of - if not the only - dividing factor between Apple and Android.

 

[Guacamole]

perhaps they should improved their own camera first, sadly the iPhone doesn't take the best photos

 

[JosephAW]

Oh how I wanted this feature a few years ago. Had a special camera app called TimeStamp to take photos of delivered items with location and time and date on the photo and had to manually open it every single time.

 

[vicviper789]

Looks like apple is playing catch up with android finally

 

[Supermallet]

Don't think that will happen. Then it loses the function it was supposed to have in all those apps.

It already acts as a shutter in the first party camera if you have the action button set to camera, so they’ve already set the precedent that the button can act differently in different contexts.

 

[jasonsmith_88]

This is great! All third party camera apps have been a non-starter for me as I invoke the camera from the lockscreen 99.99% of the time.

I’m still using an iPhone XS which is one of the last iPhones where HDR capture can be disabled. I absolutely hate how fake HDR photos look and I feel that photos taken on the 15 Pro look worse than my XS. Of course this is personal preference but I’m far from the only person. This has prevented me from upgrading my dying phone because using an app like Halide requires unlocking the phone which is a real pain when you’re out on the trail and FaceID doesn’t work with polarised sunglasses and face coverings. With this new feature I might actually finally be able to upgrade my phone and switch Halide to the lock screen so that I can take photos I don’t hate.

 

[macduke]

Honestly this is the reason I never consistently used Halide. It's a great app, although it launches a little slower than the default camera app, even on my iPhone 15 Pro.

 

[anthogag]

That's very good. Have a 3rd party camera on the lock screen and swipe from the right side to get to camera.