Apple Plans to Expand Uses of Haptic Touch on iPhone XR Over Time

[MacRumors]

By now, you've probably heard that the iPhone XR features a new technology called Haptic Touch instead of the usual 3D Touch.

Haptic Touch is simply a marketing name for a long press combined with haptic feedback from the Taptic Engine. The feature is a substitute for 3D Touch, which Apple wasn't able to include on the iPhone XR in order to achieve a nearly edge-to-edge LCD screen, a remarkable engineering feat.

The biggest downfall with Haptic Touch is that it currently works in only a few places, such as the flashlight and camera shortcuts on the lock screen, and in Control Center to pop open additional toggles and menus. Fortunately, that won't be the case forever, according to The Verge's Nilay Patel.

From Patel's iPhone XR review, emphasis ours:

Haptic Touch does not have equivalents to everything 3D Touch can do, however -- I missed previewing links in Safari and Twitter quite a bit. Apple told me it's working to bring it to more places in iOS over time, but that it's going slow to make sure the implementation is right.

Apple did not provide a timeframe, but it's safe to assume that additional Haptic Touch gestures will be added in future software updates.

It'll be interesting to see where Apple expands Haptic Touch across iOS, as the feature can only be implemented for actions that don't already rely on a long press. For example, long-pressing on an app icon on the home screen enables "wiggle mode," allowing apps to be deleted or rearranged on the home screen.

For that reason, Haptic Touch does not work with Quick Actions when you long press on an app icon on the iPhone XR home screen. Haptic Touch also doesn't support Peek and Pop for previewing content such as links and messages.

3D Touch: Quick Actions on left, Peek and Pop on right​

Apple already works around the lack of 3D Touch for keyboard trackpad mode. In iOS 12, users can simply tap and hold the space bar to enter the trackpad mode, which allows for easier movement of the cursor within text fields. This user interface change was more than likely inspired by the iPhone XR.

A few months ago, Barclays analysts said it is "widely understood" among Apple's supply chain partners that all 2019 iPhones will lack 3D Touch. If accurate, Apple's plans to expand Haptic Touch may go beyond software. For now, the pressure-sensitive feature lives on with the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.

Article Link: Apple Plans to Expand Uses of Haptic Touch on iPhone XR Over Time

 

[brofkand]

3D Touch could have been "long press" since day 1. Wasted engineering effort, like the compact Mac Pro.

 

[Agit21]

3D Touch was useless from the beginning. And it makes the devices thicker and more expensive for Apple.
Long press and hold is the solution, works great on the spacebar for moving the cursor in iOS 12.

 

[Baymowe335]

Seems like it might work just as well.

 

[itsmilo]

The only time I used 3D Touch since the iPhone 7 days was by mistake trying to move around icons. It’s just not part of my work flow whatsoever. Used an iPhone for too many years beforehand

 

[Val-kyrie]

Let's see how long it takes to release new features.

 

[JPack]

Makes sense, removing the 3D Touch layer will allow Apple to design thinner phones and hopefully use that space for thicker batteries.

 

[EugW]

If true that 3D Touch will be eliminated completely from new 2019 models, then good riddance.

It is something that most iPhone owners do not use, and most developers do not implement. Even Apple hasn't been very good at making it useful. Getting rid of 3D Touch support completely will mean a more consistent iOS UI target for developers, and a more consistent UI experience for users.

 

[Kestrel452]

How about they focus on getting Touch ID and the headphone jack re-introduced instead???

 

[BeyondtheTech]

3D Touch was useless from the beginning. And it makes the devices thicker and more expensive for apple to make.

I can't believe we lost the headphone jack for this.

 

[Agneev]

Not liking this. 3D Touch is my most favorite feature on iPhone. Can't fathom it's disappearance.

 

[white4s]

It's just a lazier way to use your phone. I couldn't care less that the Xr won't have it

 

[Shadow Jolteon]

Not liking this. 3D Touch is my most favorite feature on iPhone. Can't fathom it's disappearance.

Same here. Both me and my husband use it all the time and love it. The lack of it was the one thing that made me go back and forth on whether or not to get an iPhone Xr. (Though, we ended up preordering ours a couple days ago.)

I didn't realize that the long press solution wasn't replacing the functionality of 3D Touch/Force Touch all around. A long press isn't as convenient or quick, but I was willing to compromise if I could still use the preview features, which I use all the time. I'm really hoping they add at least the Peek and Pop feature for devices without it really soon.

 

[cardfan]

Another problem with the entry-mid level iPhone concept. Apple has to waste time focusing on stuff it cuts out. Ideally you want apple focused on making the best iPhone it can and having iOS, apps and services optimized for it. But nope they gotta worry about also optimizing everything for this much lesser quality lcd phone built with compromises.

 

[imola.zhp]

I don't use it very often but when I do, its nice. I'm just not sure about not having it.

I wish I could turn it off on my 7+ and roll for a few weeks to see if I miss it at all.

 

[Porco]

Can you turn this off?

I've never had 3D Touch, never wanted it, and I generally hate haptic stuff. The first thing I do in settings for video games is to turn off any vibration features on the controller.

The tap for a message on my Watch and vibrate on silent for my iPhone are literally the only two kinds of haptic feedback I like or want.

At the same time, as long as it's always an option and never essential I have no problem with it being there for others who love it.

For me, Long Press isn't a 'workaround', it's a superior method for the kind of contextual operations 3D Touch has provided.

 

[Dezryth]

I don't use it very often but when I do, its nice. I'm just not sure about not having it.

I wish I could turn it off on my 7+ and roll for a few weeks to see if I miss it at all.

You can turn it off: http://osxdaily.com/2016/02/25/disable-enable-3d-touch-iphone/

 

[miflgr92]

I never intentionally use 3D Touch. Every time I accidentally long press the screen and the options show up, I think "oh that's cool I should start using it more." Almost one year of having this feature and I still have not incorporated it into the way I use my phone every day.

 

[TwoRotors]

3D Touch could have been "long press" since day 1. Wasted engineering effort, like the cMP.

Are you trying to say that the cMP was a wasted engineering effort? I have to disagree, the 4,1 and 5,1 are almost 10 years old, and can still out run a new Mac trash can when properly equipped.

12 cores
PCIe SSD's
Truck Loads of Ram
More bays than you know what to do with

I would love to hear the logic behind your thoughts........

 

[shanson27]

It seems like Apple is preparing for a Micro-LED display

 

[garoto]

3D Touch could have been "long press" since day 1. Wasted engineering effort, like the cMP.

That’s horrendously false. I am not tied to the amount of time a tap and hold takes with 3D Touch. Over time, that’s a lot of

3D Touch could have been "long press" since day 1. Wasted engineering effort, like the cMP.

I’m amazed at how many people don’t understand what 3D Touch is. You should work with them, and merge your $1T Tap-and-Hold company with Apple’s.

 

[Westside guy]

3D Touch has always seemed like a gimmick to me. The single thing I've found it useful for is app switching on my iPhone 6S... and that's mainly because Apple has chosen to fragment how iOS works rather than offer a common experience across devices anymore. I can swipe up on my old iPad Mini 4... why not my relatively newer iPhone 6S?

Apple's choice to use 3D Touch rather than just using a long press may have been a clumsy attempt to prevent third-party developers from offering their complete feature set on Android as well as iOS. However some apps (like Pocket Casts) have been effectively offering long press access to supplemental actions for years.

 

[garoto]

If true that 3D Touch will be eliminated completely from new 2019 models, then good riddance.

It is something that most iPhone owners do not use, and most developers do not implement. Even Apple hasn't been very good at making it useful. Getting rid of 3D Touch support completely will mean a more consistent iOS UI target for developers, and a more consistent UI experience for users.

I would be very disappointed if they remove 3D Touch. It is one of my favorite features.

 

[Ramchi]

Great as expected!! Same may be the case for Dual Cameras! But what other features they are going to leave behind?! The idea is to confuse the customer isn't?

 

[mikelasvegas]

"It'll be interesting to see where Apple expands Haptic Touch across iOS, as the feature can only be implemented for actions that don't already rely on a long press. For example, long-pressing on an app icon on the home screen enables "wiggle mode," allowing apps to be deleted or rearranged on the home screen.

For that reason, Haptic Touch does not work with Quick Actions when you long press on an app icon on the iPhone XR home screen. Haptic Touch also doesn't support Peek and Pop for previewing content such as links and messages."
​

Not necessarily true. I can long press on the Keynote or Swift Playgrounds app on my iPad pro to activate a contextual menu that allows me to jump right into a specific presentation or lesson. A longer press activates the "wiggle mode." There would be no difference regarding other quick actions for apps on the home screen.