I remember reading that the Japanese iOS makes a loud shutter noise when you take a picture that can’t be silenced.
It’s actually apparently a Japanese law.
https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-turn-the-camera-shutter-sound...
Ask HN: Why is there no activity indicator when an iPhone's camera is on?
11–20 of 66 posts
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no activity indicator when an iPhone's camera is on?
#12Can the iPhone camera be accessed by applications without displaying some kind of viewfinder?
Yes, https://youtu.be/jTm4fjx_eZ0?t=532 this is done with React Native. I don't think nothing prevents you from rendering the camera UI preview component with an opacity of 0.0 I guess the main problem that no smartphone manufacturer wants to address is: People who take photos without permission to other people. It would be reasonable to enforce a law on all manufactures to add visible LED when the phone camera is be…
That'd be good for personal privacy from malicious software but it would be easily defeatable by anyone that wants to use the camera unnoticed.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no activity indicator when an iPhone's camera is on?
#13I just want a phone that has a manual physical toggle button that kills the power to the cameras if any apps need the camera they can just notify me to please toggle that switch. One of the nightly build that I put on my note 8 turns on the edge screen notification flash when the cameras are on every once in awhile I see that thing on no reason.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no activity indicator when an iPhone's camera is on?
#14Can the iPhone camera be accessed by applications without displaying some kind of viewfinder?
Yes, https://youtu.be/jTm4fjx_eZ0?t=532 this is done with React Native. I don't think nothing prevents you from rendering the camera UI preview component with an opacity of 0.0 I guess the main problem that no smartphone manufacturer wants to address is: People who take photos without permission to other people. It would be reasonable to enforce a law on all manufactures to add visible LED when the phone camera is be…
I don't think that would be reasonable. Unless there is a significant safety issue or privacy issue that would be solved, I don't think the government should force manufacturers to add features to their phones, seems like a pretty extreme overreach. Any LED added could easily be removed or covered up in a few seconds, so I don't see how it changes anything.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no activity indicator when an iPhone's camera is on?
#15Can the iPhone camera be accessed by applications without displaying some kind of viewfinder?
Yes, https://youtu.be/jTm4fjx_eZ0?t=532 this is done with React Native. I don't think nothing prevents you from rendering the camera UI preview component with an opacity of 0.0 I guess the main problem that no smartphone manufacturer wants to address is: People who take photos without permission to other people. It would be reasonable to enforce a law on all manufactures to add visible LED when the phone camera is be…
Um no, the whole point of that code is to show a preview on the screen. The comment you replied to is asking about the opposite, whether it's possible to hide the fact that the camera is being used.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no activity indicator when an iPhone's camera is on?
#16Can the iPhone camera be accessed by applications without displaying some kind of viewfinder?
Yes, https://youtu.be/jTm4fjx_eZ0?t=532 this is done with React Native. I don't think nothing prevents you from rendering the camera UI preview component with an opacity of 0.0 I guess the main problem that no smartphone manufacturer wants to address is: People who take photos without permission to other people. It would be reasonable to enforce a law on all manufactures to add visible LED when the phone camera is be…
Seems like the kind of solution that can be defeated with a couple cents of black nail polish
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no activity indicator when an iPhone's camera is on?
#17If the camera is on it has to be shown on the screen right?
Maybe not what OP had in mind, but there's also the issue of taking hidden photos of others. If you're holding your phone in my direction, I don't see what's on the screen, but an LED on the back could let me know that your camera is on.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no activity indicator when an iPhone's camera is on?
#18Is there an indicator on any other phone? Certainly none on my Samsung.
I don’t know of any phones with an indicator - but on the other hand I’ve never seen a laptop that doesnt have an indicator.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no activity indicator when an iPhone's camera is on?
#19Is there an indicator on any other phone? Certainly none on my Samsung.
I think they're using Macbooks as a reference point for another Apple product that does have a LED wired to the webcam. That's why the title is about iPhones and not smartphones in general.
Re: Ask HN: Why is there no activity indicator when an iPhone's camera is on?
#20If the camera is on it has to be shown on the screen right?
Maybe not what OP had in mind, but there's also the issue of taking hidden photos of others. If you're holding your phone in my direction, I don't see what's on the screen, but an LED on the back could let me know that your camera is on.
Given that everyone uses cases, I doubt the LED would be visible.
People are always filming you in public, in the hopes of being the next viral Instagram sensation.