The Apple Watch’s Double Tap Gesture Will Change My Photo-Taking Game
During Apple’s Wonderlust event Tuesday, the company unveiled the new double tap gesture for Apple Watch Series 9. Double tapping lets users make two pinching motions in quick succession to activate something on the watch, like, say, taking a picture — and this is where my inspiration was sparked.
The Apple Watch does not have a camera, but it does have a camera app which works with a connected iPhone. With it, users can see the viewfinder from their wrist, set a three-second timer, swap between front and rear cameras, and change settings like flash, live photo, or HDR. I’ve found this very handy when trying to get a particular angle that makes it impossible to see the camera’s screen or leaves buttons just out of reach.
But my biggest use case for the Apple Watch’s camera app is getting the perfect Instagram-worthy photo.
With it, I can use the far better rear camera, see how things look through my Watch, and get the right shot without a million tries. And while my fiancé makes his best attempts to take my photo when I ask, I would often find that something was just a bit amiss. After I started using the Watch, I could direct him to change the angle or see if the way I was sitting needed adjusting.
But it still left something to be desired.
I would have to break whatever position I was in to look at the screen and try speaking through gritted teeth so I wouldn’t be caught mid-sentence telling my partner when I was ready. Even with the three-second timer, I felt like I was in a race against time. The Apple Watch camera app made things easier for me who is so particular about the details in photos with a partner who is kind enough to say I look nice in every picture. Still, something was missing.
Rather than hiring a photographer to follow me around taking photos I’ll eventually forget to post or exasperating my partner’s patience, Apple Watch is giving me the double tap gesture thanks to the new chip coming in the new Apple Watch iteration. I’m already so excited to use this, now able to take the picture I want at exactly the right moment with just the slightest movement.
It’s a small thing, but one I know I’ll use and will make captures photos easier, even if I never remember to actually post them.
The Apple Watch Series 9 comes out on Friday, September 22, and starts at $399.
Image credits: Apple
