As with iOS 7.0.X, iOS 7.1 allows users to take photos secretly with the Camera app, which was discovered shortly after the release of iOS 7. It’s most likely a bug that Apple still hasn’t fixed, even with the release of iOS 7.1.
Many places, such as concerts or art galleries, prohibit people from taking photos and videos; this can be a big bummer, especially if you want to share that moment with friends and family who might not be there. There are plenty of iPhone apps out there that allow users to take pictures without showing the camera viewfinder, especially on jailbroken devices, but this neat trick in iOS 7.1 makes all those apps obsolete.
We first noticed this neat trick back in November, and it’s an easy hack that lets you take pictures with the Camera app without actively opening the app or even showing the viewfinder. Here’s how to do it.
One caveat, though: this trick didn’t work for everyone here. Must Be Mobile. Doing this led to a random reboot for some people, but for others running iOS 7.1 it works perfectly. Also, this trick works on iPad as well. We can confirm it worked on iPad 4, iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display, but it didn’t work on the third generation iPad.
With this trick, people looking over your shoulder will think you’re just looking at your notifications or seeing what apps are in your app switcher, but in reality, you’re actually taking a photo without anyone noticing. Of course, you are on your own as much as the risk you take while doing this. If you’re at an art gallery and simply pull out your phone, security may assume you’re taking pictures, so be warned.
