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Force Touch Panels Enter Mass Production Ahead of 'iPhone 6s' Launch

Zakzilla said:
I agree, was thinking this the other day. I like my iPhone 6 because it gets the job done, but it sort of feels like with each update, there is less and less personality to it. I remember back with iOS 6 and prior (before the sleek new design overhaul in iOS7), I felt a bit more connected to the UI. Now it's starting to feel a bit "stale" like you said.
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Just curious what made you feel connected to iOS 6 and prior?
 
cloudness said:
I don't see Force Touch as a big deal but it might be by lack of imagination. What uses would you guys see on iOS? On WatchOS, screen size is an issue so it's useful to bring the additional options. It doesn't even matter where you click, and there are only two sensitivities, on and off. It mainly acts as a third button in the current implementation in most if not all apps. I don't see it as useful on iOS with the massive screen sizes and resolutions nowadays. Would it be precise enough for paintbrushing? For gaming purposes, like firing intensities and whatnots?
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Well I would love it with control center where I could just force touch on wifi or BT and change things without having to go into settings. Perhaps force touch and long press will become one. But I also think this technology is going to allow for better pen support. Perhaps the notes app enhancements signal we'll getting an Apple pen this fall. They certainly have enough patents on one.
 
I'm still waiting for Apple to release a Force Touch trackpad I can use with my laptop externally (when it's in clamshell mode and attached to external monitors). I have an external keyboard, an external mouse and external regular trackpad, but would love to have a force one.
 
Hm, not sure how useful this will be. I find Force Touch on the Macbook somewhat useful because it allows the user to adjust how much pressure is needed for a "click". But I haven't seen any really good use for the "force click" yet. One of the problems is that it's not obvious from the UI when added functions are available via Force Touch. And given that there will be millions of iPhones without Force Touch for quite a while, all functions need to be accessible without it too.
 
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BMcCoy said:
Is it?
Okay... but I'm sure I remember reading way back that 'Force Touch' was a term to describe different ways of implementing this effect.. on trackpads (Macbooks) that already move down a bit, then yes, the sensor is upgraded to appreciate the force of the pressure.. but on surfaces that do not move down, ie phone screens, it would be surface area to determine force of press.

Reference: http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/force-touch-to-bring-significant-change-to-next-iphone-says-analyst/

Happy to be wrong.. in which case, a moving iPhone screen is interesting..
Can you point me to any links? Cheers.
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The new MacBook trackpads don't move at all. They detect strain, not movement.
 
Sorry, but the initials BFD come to mind. Seriously, FT is not any big deal if you have ever tried it on one of the new macbooks. Might come in handy, but . . . .
 
DynaFXD said:
That's how I see it. Sort of like a quick tap is a left click, a force touch is like a right click that brings up other options given the screen that is currently in focus. But as the other fellow says, it is not quite as flexible as a mouse because, so it seems, it has no awareness of X,Y position on the screen. It's only reference is the app that is currently in the active space and all you get is binary on/off action. So I guess for everytime you used an app and wished you had another input option .... to some degree you can now have it. It is useful on the AW for making program adjustments. If nothing else it will save a trip to the settings window for many apps. We'll have to wait and see how designers really leverage it into meaningful work flow.
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Serious question, why wouldn't it know the X, Y position on the screen? It doesn't seem unreasonable to me at all that the software would indicate where the user is touching the screen since it has that info anyway.
 
DynaFXD said:
But as the other fellow says, it is not quite as flexible as a mouse because, so it seems, it has no awareness of X,Y position on the screen.
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It may not have awareness of the position on the screen where the force is applied itself, but it doesn't need to anyway. There is a whole separate touch screen on top of it to do just that. The only thing that is not possible with the combination of those sensors is multi force touch (of course it can detect the force applied by two fingers together, but it can't detect the force each of the fingers apply). It's hard to imagine a use case for that sort of thing though. Okay, maybe musical instruments.
 
tumblr_lmlthqomJo1qite2x.jpg
 
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Jsameds said:
Don't forget "tock" cycle (S series, as opposed to the "tick" cycle which is the numbers) always has the same design as the previous model, meaning they've also ironed out any design flaws in the hardware.

**Ahem** Bendgate...

and **ahem** antennagate...
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Sorry but isn't that what was meant by "A refinement of the structure, any hardware issues are addressed"?

Also, has there ever actually been a case of someone having a bent 6 that wasn't the result of them sitting on it? I don't think that's a design flaw in the phone so much as in the user :p

All the said, I am all about the S phones and can't wait for the 6s to come out... followed by the 7, so I can get the 6s for less while still enjoying my 5s up to the last minute ;)
 
So, when giving a presentation, you can move a 'pointer' around by swiping your finger and press a button by force touching the screen. Sounds like a very Applish way to work around a mouse and not have to admit that it would be very handy to use one in combination with an iDevice. Like the right mouse button sensor in the mouse aka mighty mouse. They did not add a buton, but they knew damn well how handy it is to have one so they worked around it. Thinking about Apple admitting things and workarounds.... there is no antennagate, here you have a free bumper / you are holding it wrong... there is no bendgate... etc etc...
 
Ventilatedbrain said:
I wonder

I just wonder how long it will take for someone to say crackgate. "I force touched my screen and it broke". Also I wonder how different this is from press hold.

I can't wait for the 6s. My z3 needs retirement.
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The difference is that one button could in theory be activated in three different ways and do three different things. Tap, hold or push.
 
Naysayers listen up, Force Touch could have lots of use on an iPhone:
  • In 8.4's Music app, to bring up the menu (Play Next, Add to Up Next, etc.) you have to tap the tiny "...". Instead, imagine pressing a little harder on the item to bring up this menu, it would be a lot easier.
  • In Messages, if you get a text from a new contact, press firmly on the number to bring up the context-sensitive menu (Create New Contact, Add to Existing Contact, etc.) instead of tapping "Details" then the (i) bubble to bring up this menu.
  • In Contacts, press firmly on a contact to go directly into Edit mode.
  • In Photos, press firmly on a photo to bring up the "Send To ..." option.
There are many, many context-sensitive applications for Force Touch.
 
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Force Touch? Wish the basics would be fixed first; a less slippery and slightly thicker phone with space for a larger battery and the whole camera module! No, a case is not the answer, it is a waste of space and nullifies the whole point of original and supposedly "premium" design. It should be more durable out of the box.
 
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Force Touch does seem to be a step in the right direction after quite some time with nothing truly new from Apple. Force Touch will certainly bring a fresh new feature set to iOS, yet by the time the first rev is released ie: iPhone 7, it will be a lot more useful and further refined.

My iPhone 6 Plus is a decent phone, does most everything I want fairly well, and is now in the same category as my iPads. It's functional, useful and good enough.

I'm turning over a new leaf and backing away from my habit of buying a new iPhone each year. Theirs nothing I need to do that can't be done with my iP6+ therefore it's a waste of time and money to buy a 6S, even if it would be fun to play with Force Touch. Some would argue you get most of your money back when selling the iPhone 6 Plus. I agree, however I have no desire to waste the time and trouble. I'll happily wait to see what iPhone 7 has to offer.
 
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Piggie said:
If they can make it, and such a device/feature is shown to be popular with buyers, then yes, I would expect them to.
As I would expect YOU to, if you were working for me, trying to make the most popular items so OUR company can make as much money as possible?

Or as you a bad employee and would see something that is selling well, and make something else?

This is what companies do, and what nature itself does. What works/is wanted gets copies and succeeds, what fails/shown not to work gets dropped.

Its how we as a world progress.
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Think you are missing the point, Samsung would rather follow and copy rather then invent push market forward.
 
CFreymarc said:
Stole my line. The early iPhone's were all about elegance and simplicity. We are now seeing a gizmo feature of the year. Curious how many will regularly use force touch once released?
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Everyone will use it, force touch is simple and elegant. A lot simpler than extra menu options, or having a 2nd button on the phone
 
Thin is good, but NEVER at the cost of ANYTHING. (Structural rigidity, protruding camera lenses, battery life, screen brightness/resolution/pressure sensitivity, etc.)

I've never once wished my old samsung dumb-phone was thinner. For that matter, I've never wished any device was thinner.
 
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maxsix said:
I'm turning over a new leaf and backing away from my habit of buying a new iPhone each year. Theirs nothing I need to do that can't be done with my iP6+ therefore it's a waste of time and money to buy a 6S, even if it would be fun to play with Force Touch. Some would argue you get most of your money back when selling the iPhone 6 Plus. I agree, however I have no desire to waste the time and trouble. I'll happily wait to see what iPhone 7 has to offer.
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I hope you give us a review of your 6S+ when you get it in a few months. :D
 
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AnsonX10 said:
Thin is good, but NEVER at the cost of ANYTHING. (Structural rigidity, protruding camera lenses, battery life, screen brightness/resolution/pressure sensitivity, etc.)

I've never once wished my old samsung dumb-phone was thinner. For that matter, I've never wished any device was thinner.
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Whew. We all got lucky you were not running the design team otherwise we might still tote phones in shoulder bags. :)
 
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