Apple is separating the new smartphones into its usual low-cost versus high-cost categories, with big differences between the two models coming down to the camera, display, and battery life.
iOS 13 & watchOS 6 Now Available
Apple Plans to Expand Uses of Haptic Touch on iPhone XR Over Time
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:
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.
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.
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.
Related Roundup: iPhone XR
Tags: 3D Touch, Haptic Touch
[ 120 comments ]
Top Rated Comments
(View all)
12 months ago
Not liking this. 3D Touch is my most favorite feature on iPhone. Can't fathom it's disappearance.
12 months ago
3D Touch could have been "long press" since day 1. Wasted engineering effort, like the compact Mac Pro.
12 months ago
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.
12 months ago
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.
Long press and hold is the solution, works great on the spacebar for moving the cursor in iOS 12.
12 months ago
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 of3D 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.
12 months ago
How about they focus on getting Touch ID and the headphone jack re-introduced instead???
12 months ago
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.
12 months ago
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
12 months ago
3D touch is such a useful feature that I cannot live without. Going from an iPhone 6 to Xs, makes me realize how much more efficient it is. I for one love the peek and poke and the ability to have shortcuts. It makes the whole user experience better overall. It's not a wasted effort at all. Longpress is not the same as 3D touch and it is a shame that Apple will be getting rid of this entirely. I would hope that they can find a way to mimic 3D touch in future iPhones, because it's a feature that's extremely handy and convenient. I can't picture going back to using a phone without 3D touch.
12 months ago
3D touch is an extremely undervalued feature... its like a right-button on a mouse... remember when Apple had only 1 button mice?
it is indeed very useful and underused
it is indeed very useful and underused
[ Read All Comments ]
Burst Mode refers to when the camera on your iPhone captures a series of photos in rapid succession, at a rate of ten frames per second. It's a great way to shoot an action scene or an unexpected...
Apple's Portrait Mode has become a popular way of taking impressive shots using a depth-of-field effect known as bokeh, allowing iPhone users to shoot a photo that keeps the subject sharp with a...
Apple has redesigned the native Camera app on the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro to make space for the various additional shooting options available in its new flagship phones, and one particularly...
Apple's massive launch week has come to a close, with the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and Apple Watch Series 5 all debuting on Friday. And as if that wasn't enough, Thursday...
With the arrival of the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, Apple has introduced an optional new camera feature in iOS 13 that's designed to allow you to correct the alignment of...
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with AnyTrans to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win one of Apple's new iPhone 11 Pro Max devices and a lifetime AnyTrans license.
For...
Due to Apple seeding the iOS 13.1 beta prior to the public release of iOS 13, upgrading to a new iPhone may be a bit trickier this year.
In a support document, Apple has provided instructions...
Apple today the golden master version of an upcoming tvOS 13 update to developers, one week after seeding the eleventh beta and more than three months after unveiling the tvOS 13 software at the...
