It’s time for a hands-on look at what might be the only “official” third-party iPhone 16 case with Camera Control (providing you don’t count Beats). We have seen models with the conductive button cover from SUPCASE and Spigen, but OtterBox seems to have had a more official connection to Apple with its implementation considering you can buy it direct from Cupertino’s stores, so let’s dive in and see if the OtterBox Lumen Series iPhone 16 case with Camera Control is any good.
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Hands-on with the OtterBox Lumen Series iPhone 16 case with Camera Control
The new OtterBox Lumen Series case with Camera Control is available for all four iPhone 16 models
in four two-tone colors: clear/pink, clear/black, clear/blue, and the clear/green you see on display in this review. It carries a $69.99 MSRP.
Express your style with Lumen Series, the luxury clear iPhone 16 Pro Max case. This sleek and elegant MagSafe iPhone case beautifully displays your iPhone while working seamlessly with all of its features and function. Lumen Series slips in and out of pockets easily and works with MagSafe chargers and stands seamlessly.
Features at a glance
- This case works seamlessly with Camera Control. It features a sapphire crystal, coupled to a conductive layer to communicate finger movements to the Camera Control
- Designed for iPhone and Apple MagSafe technology
- Sleek, pocket-friendly profile
- Show off your iPhone in a clear, scratch-resistant case with pops of color
- Textured sides for a sure grip
- Raised edges protect camera and screen
- Limited lifetime warranty and hassle-free customer service
gadgetnewsonline’ Take
Today we are taking a hands-on look at the new OtterBox Lumen Series. But this isn’t just the new iPhone 16 version of the previous-generation Lumen Series, this is the official new Camera Control edition that is being sold directly from OtterBox and by Apple in its official storefronts as well.
Among the small handful of Camera Control cases out there that don’t come directly from the Apple camp, the OtterBox Lumen Series seems to be a little more directly tied to the official offerings. This is not only because of the shelf space at Apple Stores but also due the wording it had ready to go on day one of the iPhone 16 launch describing its Camera Control button cover – it’s all but word for word with the Apple case and Beats description of the tech in place to translate finger gestures through the case to the button itself (as we detailed previously):
This case works seamlessly with Camera Control. It features a sapphire crystal, coupled to a conductive layer to communicate finger movements to the Camera Control
Okay, so that’s all good and well, even promising, but it doesn’t really mean all that much to anyone until you get hands-on to see if it actually works…it does.
While I happen to prefer the way the Spigen Camera Control button covers react to my finger movements, I get the impression most folks will prefer the OtterBox vibes for one main reason…the soft press.
I can confidently confirm the conductive sapphire crystal in place on the Lumen Series is entirely functional – my clicks on the Camera Control cover are registered just as reliably as they are on the naked button and the slide gestures works just the same.
The soft press and double press seems to be the gesture most folks have the most trouble with. I actually felt as though a sort of light tap (as opposed to a press) applied to Spigen’s case actually made it even more accurate than the naked button, but that’s entirely a personal thing.
The OtterBox case handles the light presses about as 1:1 to the raw button without a case as I have experienced yet. This is good news…providing you like the way the naked button handles your personal touch without a case, and likely a good sign all around.
It’s a solid implementation of a Camera Control case button cover, that’s for sure, and unsurprisingly so considering it feels, looks, and reads just like the one you’ll find on the official Apple case.
That’s, unfortunately where my positive thoughts on this case end. Now this is, admittedly (and obviously), an entirely personal taste thing here, but I do not like clear cases with colorful sides and a colorful MagSafe logo on the back, this one included. Some folks do, and that’s totally cool with me, I’m just definitely not one of them. It’s the only style this case comes in too.
For me, the real shame here is that this is the only OtterBox case, at least for now, that has the proper Camera Control button.
Having said all that, and leaving my personal aesthetic preferences aside for a moment, every other element of this case is about as good as I could hope or assume it would be from a brand like this.
The MagSafe array is entirely reliable strong and precisely what you would hope for. The hard plastic exterior offers plenty of bump and drop protection and there are raised bezels around every exposed corner to prevent table top damage. The bezel around the display is, as I’m sure you already guessed if you have read any of my case reviews, a touch too raised, but just by a mm or two and most folks will appreciate this.
In the end, the only thing worth really weighing in on from a hands-on perspective is the Camera Control button cover, and it’s a solid one. This is OtterBox after all – in my very experienced experience you are always getting exactly what you think, exactly what it looks like in the pictures, and at a price that’s always a bit too pricey for me. That said, if you enjoy the look of this two-tone clear case, and willing to pay the price of admission, you’ll like what you get with the new OtterBox Lumen Series.
Buy the OtterBox Lumen Series iPhone 16 case with Camera Control
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