Snappy could improve smartphone photography with a stabilized grip

The Camera Control on the new iPhone 16 lineup is Apple’s attempt to improve the ergonomics of smartphone photography, but it doesn’t solve the problem of securely holding on to those smooth rectangular slabs while framing a shot. Similar to accessories we’ve seen from companies like Xiaomi, the Snappy adds the grip and buttons of a dedicated camera, plus more device compatibility with its expanding clamp.

Buddiesman, a Chinese maker of tripods and heads, created the Snappy and is attempting to crowdfund the smartphone grip through Kickstarter. Full retail pricing is expected to be $149, but the earliest backers can preorder one for $89.

Although Buddiesman may have experience with designing and manufacturing camera gear, its current offerings don’t appear to offer any electronic features, so this could represent new ground for the company, which can complicate delivery for any crowdfunded effort.

Its beefier grip includes a dedicated shutter button plus a scroll wheel that can control the zoom of a compatible camera app over Bluetooth, such as Blackmagic’s. The grip can even be detached and used farther away from the phone as a wireless remote.

The Snappy’s motorized clamp works alongside an accelerometer to cancel out unwanted movement, but it only offers a single degree of rotational stabilization, so it’s definitely not an alternative to larger gimbals like DJI’s Osmo line. It can also switch the smartphone between portrait and horizontal orientations at the push of a button.

With Bluetooth, a motorized gimbal, an adjustable ring of LED lights, and the relatively compact size of the Snappy, other than delivery, our other question is what its battery life might be like when these become available starting in November.