Copycat Android Phone From Gionee Includes 3D Touch Quick Actions, Peek and Pop

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Gionee debuted its Gionee Elife S8 at Mobile World Congress this week, and the new device mimics the iPhone in both look and functionality. Available in silver, gold, and rose gold shades, the Elife S8's exterior design more closely resembles an Android device than an iPhone, but it does have a similar rear camera, a 5.5-inch screen, a body that's 7mm thick, a fingerprint sensor, and an aluminum body.

gionee

Image via GSM Arena

Most notably, it includes a pressure-sensitive display with built-in software features that look a lot like 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s. As described by BGR, the Elife S8 steals both Peek and Pop and Quick Actions from Apple. Pressing on an icon on the Home screen brings up a list of shortcuts, as seen in the image below. For example, a press on the camera app includes Quick Actions to take a snapshot, video, or selfie.

gioneequickaction

Image via BGR

There are also Peek and Pop gestures for previewing content, and a press on the left edge of the screen brings up a list of "Edge" apps. This differs from Apple's multitasking functionality, but it's the same general idea. Several hands-on reviews of the Elife S8 have noted the "too close for comfort" similarities between 3D Touch and Gionee's pressure-sensitive display.

gioneesidebar

Image via BGR

The Gionee Elife S8's other features include an octa-core Mediatek MT6755 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage with a micro SD card slot, a 16-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. It's priced at ~$500 and will be available to consumers in two months.

Gionee is not the first Android phone to include 3D Touch-like features. The Huawei Mate S has a pressure-sensitive display and launched ahead of the iPhone, but it does not attempt to copy the look of iOS or its specific implementation of 3D Touch. A pressure-sensitive display was also one of the features rumored for the Galaxy S7 and the Galaxy S7 Edge, but the two phones launched earlier this week without the feature.

Top Rated Comments

LordQ Avatar
106 months ago
But even the Chinese phones won't copy 16GB.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BillyBobBongo Avatar
106 months ago
Doesn't look at all like an iPhone, has is really got that bad that you need to use clickbait titles to drive more people to the site?
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Benjamin Frost Avatar
106 months ago
And yet, Samsung, the chief copycat, chose not to offer 3D Touch or anything like it in their latest phone.

That, to my mind, speaks volumes as to the worth of the feature.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FSMBP Avatar
106 months ago
So Android users can now not use this feature as well...Other than hardcore power-users, I have rarely seen anyone use 3D Touch on purpose. I taught my girlfriend how to use it when she got her 6S months ago and it's never been used again.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
soupcan Avatar
106 months ago
Looks like an iPhone 6S had a kid with a Galaxy S6.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
o9ski Avatar
106 months ago
I don't see ugly antenna bands. No protruding camera either. Epic fail!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18 Will Finally Bring This Android Feature to iPhone

Monday March 25, 2024 6:42 am PDT by
iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid, according to sources familiar with development of the software update. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, our sources said that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18....
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
iphone reasons to upgrade

Apple Outlines 'Reasons to Upgrade' Your iPhone on New Website

Monday March 25, 2024 12:53 pm PDT by
Apple today added a "Why Upgrade" section to its website, which is aimed at encouraging customers with older iPhones to upgrade to a newer model. The website allows customers to compare the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro, and 12 Pro Max to the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max. Each comparison shows what new features someone with an older...