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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
Buyer's Guide: iPhone XR (Neutral)
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8 months ago
Not liking this. 3D Touch is my most favorite feature on iPhone. Can't fathom it's disappearance.
8 months ago
3D Touch could have been "long press" since day 1. Wasted engineering effort, like the compact Mac Pro.
8 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.
8 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.
8 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.
8 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.
8 months ago
How about they focus on getting Touch ID and the headphone jack re-introduced instead???
8 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
8 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.
8 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
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