What do you use the action button on the iPhone 15 pro for?

https://lemmy.world/post/5629011

What do you use the action button on the iPhone 15 pro for? - Lemmy.world

Quick link to the Reeder app
Flashlight

I’m also using for the flashlight.

It can only be accessed by the Lock Screen button and the control center widget. The camera can be activated by app, Lock Screen swipe, control center widget, Lock Screen button, search, etc.

I like the idea of using shortcuts to make it more flexible. However mute toggle and camera are not likely something I will pursue. (Why do people need to intermittently mute their phones, isn’t your phone always on mute?)

John Gruber made one that triggers mute if the device is laying face down on the table and otherwise launches the camera: shortcut.
My Current Action Button Shortcut: Mute Toggle When Face Down, Otherwise Launch Camera

Link to: https://www.threads.net/@gruber/post/CxgAPvMuhOa

Daring Fireball
That’s a really neat shortcut. Unfortunately it doesn’t work for me and I’m unsure of how to fix it. Ill just wait till there is a fix for it.
Could be you don’t have the Actions App installed? It’s used to detect the face down orientation.
‎Actions

‎Supercharge your shortcuts with lots of useful actions. It provides additional actions for the Shortcuts app. The actions are not able to run on Apple Watch or HomePod. Restart your device if the actions don't show up in the Shortcuts app. The app is free without ads because I love making apps.…

App Store
Thanks, the link wasnt working awhile back, but I got everything to work now!
I am using the gruber action too. I really appreciate its simplicity. Although it took me a second to realise you needed the extra app ‘actions’
Not only is the Actions app required, but you must also download the Toggle Silent Mode shortcut of his
Shortcuts

So this doesn’t want to work for me. Says the shortcut can’t be found?
Ah apologies. I didn’t buy a 15 Pro myself so I just linked to his article. I thought he put that into one shortcut, definitely should’ve had. I get that he’s calling this in two places and there no function definition in shortcuts, but it’s really annoying to share if it’s split up. There should definitely be a solution for this from Apple if you ask me.
Oh hey no worries, just writing down the things I’ve realized for others so they don’t get stuck! Yeah agreed, deep links to other shortcuts should have a way to install those dependencies
I left it at default because flashlight and camera are already easily accessible and my muscle memory goes that route. I was honestly waiting for a thread like this to help me decide on something.

I really hope they expand this button in software later. Long press as the only activator is absurd. How about single? Double? Triple? Short-long?

I hate that the only option is long. Also I wish I could change the behavior based on context (is the phone locked, what app is active, etc). I don’t need camera or flashlight if the phone is locked, they are right there but elsewhere that might be nice.

I’m leaning towards camera in video mode as what I set it to, since getting to video mode takes longer than I’d like in most cases, even from the Lock Screen.

Contextual behavior can be done through the shortcuts app I think.
If only Apple could develop the technology to distinguish between a light contact and a forceful touch.
Rotation lock via shortcuts! It’s the best
Planning to make Focus-variable Shortcut. For example, if current Focus is Sleep, then action button toggles bedroom lights. If current Focus is Work, then action button connects to Bluetooth speaker and plays Spotify.
That is a cool ideA - I just went with the camera

Same here. If I’m connected to my gym’s wifi, start a workout.

After a certain time of day, have then turn on my bedroom lights so I can read. If the lights are on, turn them off and turn on the white noise. If the white noise is on, set my sleep focus.

Otherwise, take me to my favourite shortcuts and let me select one of those.

How can you order it to play Spotify?
There’s a trick. First, say Hey Siri play spotify [Playlist name / radio]. Siri will start playing it. Now when you open Shortcuts and search your actions for Spotify, it’ll be listed temporarily. You can then incorporate that into your Shortcut.
Wow, thanks! I will try it. It’s so weird that Spotify won’t officially support everything iOS can do. It’s right there for them to integrate and it would make Spotify so much better for everyone, but they just won’t.
Mine is set to run a Siri shortcut that remote starts my car. This may change tho, we’ll see
What’s to stop you from bumping that button in your pocket and accidentally causing your car to come on and run for 15 minutes?
Figured I’d figure that one out the hard way. So far it hasn’t happened, but upon purposely trying to start the car with my phone in my pocket, it seems like the screen needs to be active before the action button works. So either detect it’s out of your pocket, or hit the lock button to wake the screen.
This is a pretty cool idea. Never thought of it.
Breaking the glass back.