Apple’s new Beats iPhone 16 cases feature conductive sapphire crystal Camera Control cover at $49

As initially spotted over on 9to5Mac, Apple’s Beats brand is launching its very first cases this year for iPhone 16. This marks its first foray into the iPhone case design space. Now available directly from Apple and its official Amazon storefront in four different color options for iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max, the new Beats cases are some of the only options on the market outside of the in-house Apple models that feature a proper setup for the new Camera Control button beyond just a cutout. You can get a closer look and more details down below. 

New Beats iPhone 16 cases with sapphire crystal Camera Control

The new Beats iPhone 16 cases feature built-in MagSafe action, as expected from the Apple brand. Each of the four model have been “precisely crafted to fit the design and buttons of its corresponding iPhone 16 model.” Again, just as you would hope. 

They are made with a shiny, almost piano-like finish and feature a soft microfiber lining with a subtle “b” Beats logo on the inside. The brand says the “outer surface is treated with a glossy scratch-resistant coating for extra protection” alongside flexible sidewalls “to optimize shock absorption.”

But the real prime time feature here is the Camera Control button treatment. As opposed to just some cutout to leave the new Apple hardware exposed and accessible, the Beats iPhone 16 cases feature a sapphire crystal coupled with a conductive layer to communicate your finger movements directly to the Camera Control button. This is not something we are seeing very often at all on third-party cases – there are a few, but it’s hard to come by outside of the Apple and Beats models.  

As you can see via the imagery, it appears this sapphire crystal takes on the form of a black cap of sorts that protects Apple’s Camera Control from the elements while still ensuring the sort of multi-gesture action is responsive and tactile. 

It sounds like they are nearly or entirely identical to Apple’s cases in this regard. Here’s how Apple describes its Camera Control action on the Cupertino cases:

…features a sapphire crystal, coupled to a conductive layer to communicate finger movements to the Camera Control.

The new Beats iPhone 16 cases retail at $49 each for iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. 

Head over to 9to5Mac for a complete breakdown on what’s new iPhone 16, including the new Camera Control button.