Several apps that make use of the iPhone's camera have a feature that lets the volume button be used as a trigger to snap a photo, and in those apps, the Apple Watch's Music Glance lets the Apple Watch's Digital Crown serve as a remote camera trigger.
Discovered by a reddit user this morning, the hidden trick works in any app that lets the iPhone's volume buttons be used to take a photograph. Examples include Snapchat, Camera+, and Manual, all apps where the iPhone's volume button works in the same way as a press on the on-screen photo capturing button.
To use the Apple Watch as a remote trigger, open a compatible app like Snapchat, open up the Music Glance, and turn the Digital Crown. The action will cause the camera to take a photograph, much like pressing on the iPhone's volume button would do. It also works within the Music app itself.
This seems to work because in the Music app and the Glance, the Digital Crown serves as a replacement for the iPhone's volume controls, triggering the camera functionality. Headphones with volume controls work in much the same way. It's not clear if this was an intentional feature addition or if it's a bug that was overlooked, but it's a handy way to use the Apple Watch as a shutter remote for iPhone apps that support the functionality.
Though the Apple Watch can be used as a remote trigger for compatible apps through the Music Glance, the function is not as feature rich as Apple's remote control option for the built-in camera. With the default camera, the Apple Watch can turn the iPhone on and capture a photograph.
Top Rated Comments
Plus, the Camera Remote app supports using the side button (instead of the crown) as shutter release.
Yeah, you can do that with the default Camera Remote app that comes pre-installed on the Watch.
The watch on my right wrist is an activity tracking watch that I am going to be writing a review for. I'm testing it out. A watch on each wrists makes more sense than two watches on one wrist!
I wouldn't call it a bug. The apps are designed to take pictures with command for volume control. As the article points out, it works the same with the remote buttons on the EarPods and Bluetooth headsets. This is just a way to control music volume on the apple watch so it's working as expected.