Restructuring the iPhone Camera App to Make it Simpler and Faster
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Project Goal
To reorganize and redesign the functionality in the built-in iPhone camera app to make it faster and simpler to use.
Team: Solo, self-initiated
My role: UX design
Timeline: 09-10/2022, 09/2023
Tools: Figma, Sketch, paper & pen
Contents
Click to navigate
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+ Prototype Video
Wireframing
Visual Design
Prototyping
User Testing & Iteration
Background
Over the past 15 years, the design and functionality of the iPhone camera app have evolved dramatically, in parallel with the rapid increases in capability of the camera hardware. Whereas the original app was essentially just a shutter button, it now offers access to a plethora of photo and video modes, many settings within each mode, focus and exposure adjustments, and lenses of differing focal lengths. Unfortunately, it is also more complicated to use now, which is definitely not what one wants when trying to capture something fleeting.
I’ve made attempts at designing my own version of the camera app since I was in high school. They were more visual design exercises than full UX projects, but they got me thinking about different ways to organize the controls.
Planning
I identified the issues/drawbacks of Apple’s current camera app that I wanted to address in my redesign.
Design
Wireframing
I began by simply sketching all the options as they exist in Apple’s app, and then trying to group them in logical ways to reduce the number of buttons. My goal was to reduce the maximum number of settings buttons that could be presented in any mode from 8 to 6, so that all buttons could all fit on one toolbar with large tap targets and no scrolling.
I decided to combine:
Flash and night mode – Both are options for improving photos in low-light conditions, so it makes sense to group them together. (In addition, both cannot be set to on simultaneously. This makes it even more logical to combine them into a single pop-up, so the user can easily see how changing one setting may affect the other.)
Filters and photographic styles – Apple’s '“photographic styles” are essentially better, more customizable filters that render many of the old filters redundant. Combining these into a single button and interface would simplify and reduce confusion.
Next, I replaced the swipe-based “wheel” UI for switching between modes with a simple pop-up list. This not only allows for faster mode switching, but also frees up vertical space to make the full toolbar always visible while capturing – eliminating the convoluted double-toolbar structure Apple uses.
I made the buttons for Standard Photo and Standard Video modes larger to make them super easy to access, and to subtly highlight the fact that photo and video sub-modes are grouped.
Visual Design
For the visual design, I built off the existing clean, monochromatic style of Apple’s app. I kept the toolbar icons the same, but created all-new icons for the camera modes.
Prototyping
To perform some user testing on my mode switching redesign, I decided to prototype it within Figma. I created component buttons and mode menu screens for each mode, and added the appropriate interactions to the component buttons. (I also prototyped the flash toggle, which was more challenging – I ended up using component variants with both state changes and local variable changes applied on interactions.)
User Testing & Iteration
Starting in Standard Video mode, my first task for users was to simply switch to Standard Photo mode. Multiple users did not readily identify the video icon as an indicator of the current mode, and thus did not recognize it as the mode switching button.
I rectified this by adding an arrow next to the icon, which clearly indicates that it will open a menu. Subsequent users then had absolutely no trouble, quickly identifying the button and completing the task.
Conclusion
My prototype successfully resolves the issues I identified with Apple’s camera app. All controls fit near the bottom for easy one-handed access, and they can be accessed with simple taps instead of a series of swipes and scrolls.
One potential issue in implementing this design would be inflexibility in adding new features and modes over time. For instance, where would a new toggle on the bottom toolbar go? Perhaps it could merge with an existing one, like what I did with flash and night mode – though a similarly logical grouping wouldn’t necessarily present itself. I admittedly don’t have a great answer here, though I don’t believe Apple’s method of just adding more buttons is sufficient either.
Regardless, it will be interesting to see how the interface continues to adapt to the growing complexity and power of the camera hardware – especially as smartphone cameras impact our lives in ever more pervasive and important ways.
Interactive Prototype
Working functionality includes switching between all modes, as well as changing the flash setting in Standard Photo mode. Click around below, or open in Figma.
Prototype Demonstration Video
Get a glimpse into how this prototype might function in real-world use with a fun short video I made.