In 2015, with the Galaxy S6 (Android 5), Samsung introduced an actually working camera quick-launcher. In 2016, that feature actually deterioated (Galaxy S7 series and S6 series with Android 6.0 update). These are the main deteriorations: When launching camera immediately after putting the phone into stand-by mode, it relaunches but closes itself seconds later, ditching me at the lock screen. Workaround: Exit camera using “back” key or home button.

When launching the camera less than one second prior to screen timeout, the screen timeout takes priority. Re-launching immediately after screen time out has the same effect mentioned above.

The system screen rotation takes priority over the camera operation. Partial workaround: Deactivate power saving mode, which minimizes that effect. (But power saving mode should ideally not interfere with camera operation! ). Also, nobody wants to accellerate battery aging on a non-replaceable battery. Battery aging has turned into a time bomb for modern mobile phones.

But there is another change in the software I have (painfully) observed that is seemingly purely designed to annoy the user. Under certain circumstances, when launching the camera, a pop-up, “Camera has been opened via quick launch” , with a tiny [OK] button blocks the camera user interface. These circumstances are, according to testing: Camera launched via home button double press.

Rear proximity sensor detects object.

Front light sensor detects absolute darkness. In order to prepare the phone camera inside the pockets without risking this pop-up pop into your face, one needs to use the on-lockscreen camera launcher, which is a blind guess where to swipe (but one gets used to it, but still not nearly as convenient as the double-press of the home button). Here is what happens after the message displays: Tapping on dimmed background: Nothing.

Successfully tapping that tiny [OK] button in a crucial moment: Closes that pop-up; camera operation resumss as usual.

button in a crucial moment: Closes that pop-up; camera operation resumss as usual. Doing nothing: Camera app closes in five seconds.

Tapping the “back” key: Closes that pop-up, the camera still closes five seconds after it was launched (not after the pop-up was closed), even if one starts video recording during these 5 seconds. All of these bugs mentioned above had not been fixed on the Note 7 (which added a 10-minute 2160p video recording restriction) and Galaxy S8.

After that, I have not tested it so far. Whichever Samsung employee(s) had this moronic brilliant idea of damaging the usability of their camera software, is likely near brain-dead a close relative of Einstein. Obvious hyperbole, duh! But those user-unfriendly changes are still stupid from a logical perspective.

In 2015, with the Galaxy S6 (Android 5), Samsung introduced an **actually working** camera quick-launcher. In 2016, that feature actually deterioated (Galaxy S7 series and S6 series with Android 6.0 update). These are the main deteriorations: * When launching camera immediately after putting the phone into stand-by mode, it relaunches but closes itself seconds later, ditching me at the lock screen. * Workaround: Exit camera using “back” key or home button. * When launching the camera less than one second prior to screen timeout, the screen timeout takes priority. Re-launching immediately after screen time out has the same effect mentioned above. * The system screen rotation takes priority over the camera operation. * Partial workaround: Deactivate power saving mode, which minimizes that effect. (But power saving mode should ideally **not interfere with camera operation!**). * Also, nobody wants to accellerate [battery aging on a non-replaceable battery](https://poal.co/s/technology/117245/). Battery aging has turned into a time bomb for modern mobile phones. But there is another change in the software I have (painfully) observed that is seemingly purely designed to annoy the user. Under certain circumstances, when launching the camera, a pop-up, > *“Camera has been opened via quick launch”* , with a tiny ^([OK]) button blocks the camera user interface. These circumstances are, according to testing: * Camera launched via home button double press. * Rear proximity sensor detects object. * Front light sensor detects absolute darkness. In order to prepare the phone camera inside the pockets without risking this pop-up pop into your face, one needs to use the on-lockscreen camera launcher, which is a blind guess where to swipe (but one gets used to it, but still not nearly as convenient as the double-press of the home button). Here is what happens after the message displays: * Tapping on dimmed background: Nothing. * Successfully tapping that tiny ^([OK]) button in a crucial moment: Closes that pop-up; camera operation resumss as usual. * Doing nothing: Camera app closes in five seconds. * Tapping the *“back”* key: Closes that pop-up, the camera still closes five seconds **after it was launched** (not after the pop-up was closed), even if one starts video recording during these 5 seconds. All of these bugs mentioned above had not been fixed on the Note 7 (which added a 10-minute 2160p video recording restriction) and Galaxy S8. After that, I have not tested it so far. ---- Whichever Samsung employee(s) had this ~~moronic~~ brilliant idea of damaging the usability of their camera software, is likely ~~near brain-dead~~ a close relative of Einstein. [Obvious hyperbole, duh! But those user-unfriendly changes are still stupid from a logical perspective.](#spoiler)