3D Touch Again Rumored to Be Removed From All 2019 iPhones

A few months ago, in a research note shared with MacRumors, a team of Barclays analysts "confirmed" that 3D Touch "will be eliminated" in all 2019 iPhones, as they predicted back in August 2018. The analysts gathered this information from Apple suppliers following a recent trip to Asia.

3d touch iphone zoom
The Wall Street Journal floated the same rumor back in January, and now, yet another source suggests 3D Touch is on the chopping block. Namely, Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes today claimed that Apple "may" remove ‌3D Touch‌ hardware from all 2019 iPhones, citing unnamed industry sources.

Apple already introduced software changes in iOS 13 and iPadOS that hint at ‌3D Touch‌ not being supported on new devices.

Specifically, "Quick Actions" menus that float above app icons on the home screen and "Peek" previews of emails, links, messages, and more are now supported on any iPhone or iPad that can run iOS 13 or iPadOS. These features were previously exclusive to iPhones with pressure-sensitive ‌3D Touch‌ hardware.

Both features rely on a long press, aka pressing and holding, meaning this is effectively an expansion of the Haptic Touch functionality that debuted on the ‌iPhone‌ XR last year, although Apple's developer documentation refers to it as the "system-defined touch and hold gesture" on other devices.

The ability to invoke Quick Actions menus and Peek previews with a long press in iOS 13 likely foreshadows the removal of ‌3D Touch‌ from 2019 iPhones, as most of ‌3D Touch‌'s features will be possible without needing pressure-sensitive ‌3D Touch‌ hardware in 2019 iPhones, reducing production costs for Apple.

‌3D Touch‌ is still functional in iOS 13 on existing iPhones that support the feature, and will likely continue to be in future software updates. This includes the ‌iPhone‌ 6s through ‌iPhone‌ XS Max, excluding the iPhone SE.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

JungleNYC Avatar
62 months ago
Gee. Am I the only one who likes 3D touch?
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JessWinter Avatar
62 months ago
how does the new haptic long-press feature differentiate from the long-press wiggle mode(positioning icons)???
I'll tell you how. It's by waiting even LONGER for the icons to wiggle. It's happening right now on my iPhone X on iOS 13 Public Beta. It's so annoying. Haptic touch is not NEARLY as convenient as 3D touch, and that's coming from someone who doesn't use 3D touch except a few times a day (not much).
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jhawkfan Avatar
62 months ago
Gee. Am I the only one who likes 3D touch?
I love 3D Touch and HATE the new haptic touch on the iOS 13 beta. It doesn’t work very well on the home screen since you use the same process to make icons wiggle.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
calaverasgrande Avatar
62 months ago
3D touch and the haptic 'phantom click' on MacBooks are impediments to a smooth user experience IMHO.
I shouldn't have to relearn how to use a device I've already been using for over 10 years for such a minor 'feature' enhancement. This is much of the problem with Apple these days. Creating useless new features to justify their job titles and compensation. Yet ignoring long standing bugs and glitches in their OSes, platforms and software.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vnrwka Avatar
62 months ago
how does the new haptic long-press feature differentiate from the long-press wiggle mode(positioning icons)???
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
62 months ago
Gee. Am I the only one who likes 3D touch?
It’s not a matter of whose who ‘like’ 3D Touch, I’d say it’s more of a matter of those who actually know how to utilize 3D Touch to fully appreciate it. That’s the difference.

3D Touch is a great feature, but there are those who don’t know how to invoke its actions and what it actually does. Apple failed to market 3D Touch properly aside from the keynote when it launched with the 6S.

For those who actually appreciate and understand 3D Touch, realize how much of a benefit it is to shortcut applications and of course use peak/pop for notifications, etc.
Score: 5 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...