How are you finding Force Touch?

[rhyme]

I must be missing something, because I don't see the difference between "doorbell method" and "long hard press."

What I was doing with what I called the "long, hard press" was going in for a hard press immediately, holding it and increasing the pressure even more until it worked. The doorbell method has me first touching my finger lightly to the screen, then quickly pressing a little harder. With this second approach, I don't have to push as hard or as long. It makes me think perhaps the screen is detecting not the absolute amount of pressure, but a change in the amount of pressure. If you start with a hard press, you have to press very hard to get a change registered. If you start with a touch, you only have to apply a little pressure to register a change.

 

[coffeemadmanUK]

But for me (and it seems for the OP as well), invoking force touch takes as long as a long press. In fact, it takes more effort than a long press, because I have to push down hard on the screen, yet I still have to wait a few seconds before the force touch registers. I don't know what I'm doing wrong -- maybe it requires more force than I'm giving it?

Agreed. Whilst I don't have a problem with force touch, suggesting it's as quick as a tap is not what I have experienced at all.

 

[Night Spring]

What I was doing with what I called the "long, hard press" was going in for a hard press immediately, holding it and increasing the pressure even more until it worked. The doorbell method has me first touching my finger lightly to the screen, then quickly pressing a little harder. With this second approach, I don't have to push as hard or as long. It makes me think perhaps the screen is detecting not the absolute amount of pressure, but a change in the amount of pressure. If you start with a hard press, you have to press very hard to get a change registered. If you start with a touch, you only have to apply a little pressure to register a change.

Well, in that case, I've always been using the "doorbell" method, and it's never been faster than a long press. Once in a while, I get it to react faster, but the amount of times I fail to invoke it on the first try and have to give it a second try makes it a wash. It seems to depend on the angle as well as the amount of force. It's just not been an improvement over a long hold for me.

 

[BarracksSi]

It's harder to accidentally invoke a FT press than a long press. Similarly, it's hard to accidentally invoke a two-finger press on a trackpad, yet the option is always there when you need it.

I've caught myself trying to FT my iPhone 5S.

 

[testcard]

I'm deeply touched that the "doorbell method" has become a "thing"

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

I must be missing something, because I don't see the difference between "doorbell method" and "long hard press."

On some doorbells, you press once and it continues to ring. In your case, you release as soon as you detect the haptic. Press hard enough and this comes on much earlier compared to a long press.

 

[NotSafeForWork]

It's overrated. It feels clumsy and imprecise and as others have said, any action that requires you to *know beforehand* it's available is dreadful for discovery. See "hot invisible corners" in Windows 8.

Right-click on a mouse is similar but is usually a shortcut to an option that was *already available* a longer way through a menu. With the Watch it is frequently the ONLY way to get to a function (change watch face, change calendar view etc).

If you don't try to force touch on every screen you will have functions you will NEVER find.

They should have used the Power button on the watch to invoke these options instead of the useless "favorites" screen.

I am not looking forward to it on the iPhone 6S.

 

[friedmud]

It's necessary while working out.

Long-press doesn't work at all if you're running (your finger moving around slightly messes up a long-press) whereas force touch works for me while I'm working out.

I think this is the reason why they went with force-touch on the Watch.

I do agree that Force Touch can sometimes be a bit unresponsive. I expect that to be fixed up in the next OS release.

 

[warburg]

I find that Force Touch works irregularly for me. Perhaps the problem is where I press. Is it necessary to do this in the center of the screen?

 

[testcard]

Mine works at any point on the screen, but I tend to press in the centre.

 

[tivoboy]

I keep having a problem when trying to start a workout..I try to click "outdoor walk" and have to click and click and press etc.. it just doesn't respond. Finally it does, but I'm not sure if the force touch is broken or the OS and screen responsiveness is broken. When I'm trying to close and END a workout, same thing. I can't figure out is the watch is jacked up in the cache or RAM jacked up.. any thoughts? Fixes?

 

[NotSafeForWork]

I keep having a problem when trying to start a workout..I try to click "outdoor walk" and have to click and click and press etc.. it just doesn't respond. Finally it does, but I'm not sure if the force touch is broken or the OS and screen responsiveness is broken. When I'm trying to close and END a workout, same thing. I can't figure out is the watch is jacked up in the cache or RAM jacked up.. any thoughts? Fixes?

Same here. It's sloppy.

 

[Minarets]

I keep having a problem when trying to start a workout..I try to click "outdoor walk" and have to click and click and press etc.. it just doesn't respond. Finally it does, but I'm not sure if the force touch is broken or the OS and screen responsiveness is broken. When I'm trying to close and END a workout, same thing. I can't figure out is the watch is jacked up in the cache or RAM jacked up.. any thoughts? Fixes?

I just bought an AW on Sunday and have found the "buttons " to be very inconsistent.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

First of all I want to say this thread has interested me, because I never really realized it, but I've basically been doing a long, hard press. But that's not really required.

Well, in that case, I've always been using the "doorbell" method, and it's never been faster than a long press. Once in a while, I get it to react faster, but the amount of times I fail to invoke it on the first try and have to give it a second try makes it a wash. It seems to depend on the angle as well as the amount of force. It's just not been an improvement over a long hold for me.

Try gently tapping it, just as if you wanting to light up the display. Try that a few times in a row and then maintain the same press length but increase the pressure slightly. Try that a few times. Alternate between the two and I think you'll be surprised how easy and short a force press can be

 

[Night Spring]

Try gently tapping it, just as if you wanting to light up the display. Try that a few times in a row and then maintain the same press length but increase the pressure slightly. Try that a few times. Alternate between the two and I think you'll be surprised how easy and short a force press can be

Okay, I managed to invoke force touch without holding down the screen for too long, but the amount of force it requires is still not very comfortable for me.

Interestingly enough, I got to play with an iPhone 6S, and I don't seem to have trouble with force touch on that device.