3D Touch Likely Dropped in 2019 iPhones as Haptic Touch Expanded Across iPhones and iPads

[MacRumors]

Earlier this month, it was reported that 3D Touch will not be supported by 2019 iPhones. This rumor was surfaced by a team of Barclays analysts after they traveled to Asia and spoke with multiple Apple suppliers, likely meaning that there is evidence of 3D Touch being removed at the hardware level.

Now, on the software side, there are changes that suggest the rumor is accurate. It really looks like pressure-sensitive 3D Touch is going away.

Apple has confirmed that both "Quick Actions" menus that float above app icons on the home screen and "Peek" previews of emails, links, messages, and more are now supported on any iPhone or iPad that can run iOS 13 or iPadOS. These features were previously exclusive to iPhones with 3D Touch.

Apple's feature list for iOS 13 and iPadOS​

Both features rely on a long press, aka pressing and holding, meaning this is effectively an expansion of the Haptic Touch functionality that debuted on the iPhone XR last year. Haptic Touch is simply a marketing term for a long press combined with haptic feedback from the Taptic Engine.

Notably, this means Quick Actions menus and Peek previews are now supported on the iPhone XR and the iPad Air 2 or newer for the first time ever.

Quick Actions on an iPad and iPhone XR for first time ever​

The ability to invoke Quick Actions menus and Peek previews with a long press in iOS 13 is even supported on iPhones with 3D Touch, including the iPhone XS models, likely foreshadowing the removal of 3D Touch from 2019 iPhones.

3D Touch can still be used in iOS 13 on iPhones that support the feature, resulting in two ways to invoke Quick Actions menus. This includes the iPhone 6s through iPhone XS Max, excluding the iPhone SE. However, some users are unable to access 3D Touch settings in the first iOS 13 beta, which is likely a bug.

The transition from 3D Touch to Haptic Touch for Peek previews was hinted at a few weeks ago. As noted by developer Radek Pietruszewski, open source WebKit commits revealed that the APIs for the feature, previously known as Peek and Pop, would be deprecated in a future iOS version.

All in all, there is a strong possibility that 2019 iPhones will feature Haptic Touch instead of 3D Touch when they are released later this year.

(Screenshots: RayFirefist, BitVoiceFM)

Article Link: 3D Touch Likely Dropped in 2019 iPhones as Haptic Touch Expanded Across iPhones and iPads

 

[MrTemple]

Fingers crossed that they are merging the long-press and hard-press functionality.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to have them do separate things, but I would sorely miss the convenience of the hard-press.

 

[QCassidy352]

Ugh. 3D Touch is great, use it all the time.

 

[doboy]

Missed some 3D Touch features on my XR so I'm all for this

 

[muasachi]

Hope this is not true.
Please keep the 3d touch, I really get used to it now

 

[GuruZac]

This is great news for me as an XR user. It’s not quite as quick as 3D Touch but it’s close. And it functions exactly the same way. Maybe because Apple is committing to Haptic Touch across the board the experience is even further improved with even better feedback.

 

[BootsWalking]

3D Touch was a solution in search of a problem. I always found long-touches to be more intuitive and reliable than having to mash my finger down hard on the screen.

 

[Rudy69]

I never liked 3D touch, I'm not going to press everything trying to find what I can and can't 3D touch. Most intuitive feature ever. Never bothered adding it to any of my apps either

 

[Oohara]

I pray that they've found a way to keep the "pop" part of "peek and pop", as I've just discovered that it's the perfect way to open links from Google News without getting that annoying Google link bar at the top which prevents Reader Mode and tap to top.

 

[twocents]

That's too bad as I end up using 3D Touch almost every time I'm on my iPhone. I guess the XS Max will be the one to hold onto for at least a year or two after they release an iPhone with 5G connectivity

 

[alexandr]

wait, so they will remove 3d touch on a software level, so even if i hold on to my xs, i will lose 3d touch if i install ios 13?!

 

[PastaPrimav]

This is far better. Time has demonstrated that the intricate accuracy of touch pressure has proved worthless with no useful applications for it surfacing.

All of the usefulness of 3D Touch has been demonstrated by these kinds of features...100% of which could have been (and should have been) accomplished with Long Press on every device.

Now, that is coming full circle, and we'll all be much better off for it.

 

[Aston441]

Tried to like it. Never found any real use except to hard press Waze to get me home.

Long press will work just as well. I assume they will get rid of the long press to icon squiggle, finally, thank goodness.

 

[alexandr]

3D Touch was a solution in search of a problem. I always found long-touches to be more intuitive and reliable than having to mash my finger down hard on the screen.

yes, force, such great force!

 

[PastaPrimav]

Ugh. 3D Touch is great, use it all the time.

Trying reading the article.
You use it all the time for the exact features that will still exist and now be available on all devices.

 

[realtuner]

Ugh. 3D Touch is great, use it all the time.

I hate long press. People don’t like lag/waiting. 3D Touch is great because it’s instant.
[doublepost=1559660732][/doublepost]

Trying reading the article.
You use it all the time for the exact features that will still exist and now be available on all devices.

Except it will take longer.

 

[zunamo]

3D touch will make its come back when we have liquid/gel-like displays

 

[Falhófnir]

A shame, but if it really is to allow the return of Touch ID (as rumoured) then I suppose I can live without it, particularly if they retain much of the functionality via long press.

 

[load97]

I hate long press. People don’t like lag/waiting. 3D Touch is great because it’s instant.
[doublepost=1559660732][/doublepost]
Except it will take longer.

Agree, it will take longer. See how long long press will last before it too gets the axe. Hey, where's the $10k Apple Watch Edition? LMFAO

 

[jml1982]

I hope they don't get rid of it, I love it and use it all day. If they do, the long press better work for everything that 3D touch can do, like move the cursor around to quickly change text.

 

[ke-iron]

Ugh. 3D Touch is great, use it all the time.

I use it all the time too. How will I use this function if it’s turned into a long press? How would I already use the long press functions that are already there?

 

[EfratBarTal]

Haptic is NOT a sufficient replacement for 3D touch, because it has no scalar pressure sensitivity.
Using ArtStudio, Procreate Pocket or SketchBook? start saying your goodbyes to dynamic brush width.

 

[palmerc2]

My favorite part of 3D Touch is turning the keyboard into a trackpad to easily make a change in something you’ve typed, I use it everyday.

 

[19callum93]

Sad news for XS users who will be upgrading, but win win for XR users. I will miss 3D Touch, but if Haptic Touch allows me to still peek and pop into messages etc, I’ll be happy.

 

[otternonsense]

That's sad. It’s one of the reasons I refused a free “upgrade” to the iPhone XR potato. Haptic touch is a lame excuse for 3D Touch because of latency and lack of features. I hope at least they won't totally ditch peek and pop, quick actions etc.

Historically Apple is great at introducing innovations and horrible at utilising, sustaining and expanding them (from MagSafe to 3D Touch and from Siri to the iPad smart connector). Instead of using them in spades to create a truly unique Apple experience, they let them die on the vine and expediently patch together some Android features or existing App Store/Cydia apps into an ever-unchanging iOS to deliver their annual "update".