The iPhone 6S is just two days from reveal, and the hottest rumor right now is the beefed up Force Touch screen feature dubbed “3D Touch Display” by 9to5Mac.
While we’ve been hearing all summer that Force Touch was coming to the next iPhone –iPhone 6S presumably – Apple has allegedly taken the force-sensing feature and put it on steroids. The feature will reportedly debut in the newest iPhone reveal, at Apple’s August 9 event.
What Is ‘3D Touch Display’ ? Latest iPhone 6S Rumors Boast A Third “Hard Press” Gesture
According to 9to5 Mac’s infallible “sources,” the 3D Touch Display feature will bring three different levels of force touch – tap, press, hard press — which will yield various actions from the device. For example, when using email different touches could mean different things. A tap on an email might tell the device to open it, a press might tell the device to show options like reply, reply all or forward, while a hard press might mean to archive, junk or move to another folder.
Some other examples of the 3D Touch display’s use in the iPhone 6S as dreamed up by 9to5Mac are:
- User could look up a point of interest in the Maps application and Force Touch on the destination to immediately begin turn-by-turn directions (This would eliminate several steps in the process)
- In the Music application users could Force Touch on a listed track to access commonly used actions like repeat, favorite or make available to play offline.
- Force Touch in app icons like the Phone app could shortcut directly to specific features (e.g. deep pressing on the icon could shortcut directly to the Voicemail tab.)
‘3D Touch Display’ Sounds Great But Will The New Feature Be More Trouble Than It’s Worth?
While power iPhone users have long hoped for new ways to make their devices even more powerful, with greater multitasking features and more ways of accessing the information they need faster, some worry that the introduction of the 3D Touch Display could bring with it a number of complications — particularly for those accustomed to Apple’s intuitive user experience. Could the introduction of 3D Touch bring more trouble than it’s worth?
According to Gordon Kelly of Forbes, the new 3D Touch Display rumored in the iPhone 6S is a “massive gamble” as the introduction of yet another touch type could bring increased confusion on the part of users. “It risks being a case of trial and error,” Kelly writes, particularly if the action a touch elicits varies significantly from app to app.
“The results of a tap, press or strong press could vary wildly from app to app with no obvious ‘rule of thumb’ or on screen indications to what the differences will be … making things even more confusing … For example, in photo editing apps … a press might save it in one app and delete it in another, while a strong press might delete it in one and save it on another. Apple will have to tread very carefully with developer guidelines,” wrote Kelly.
‘3D Touch Display’: A Chance For Developers To Shine
These concerns are not unfounded. Certainly with the introduction of the Apple Watch came a great deal of “trial and error” on the part of early adopters. But will the adjustment to Force Touch be any more dramatic than learning to navigate a new app? I would wager to say, no. While Apple is certainly free to create guidelines or developer suggestions for how the Force Touch should be implemented in iOS 9 apps, ultimately, the success of the feature will be determined by how well developers incorporate it into their apps.
As one who has dabbled in iOS jailbreaking, when asked which feature is most desirable to jailbreakers, the answer will unanimously be, Activator. Why? Because it is a tweak through which users can invoke a variety of actions from their devices dependent on the gestures (e.g. taps, presses, swipes, pinches etc.) they use. The feature is not only time saving, it also opens up apps to a world of powerful possibilities. Is there a learning curve when you install these new gestures? Of course. Does it take time for muscle memory to kick in as you use them? Definitely. But once you start regularly using them, you will find yourself wondering how you lived without them.
To ease users into the transition, Apple will likely include some documentation in its “tips” app that gives users awareness of the 3D Touch features. I also don’t think it’s too far-fetched to imagine Apple adding a toggle in the Settings app to turn the 3D touch display off if users dislike it.
Despite its possible shortcomings, the introduction of 3D Force Touch displays signal that Apple is aware of the growing sophistication of its user base. It understands the need for pushing forward — even if the transition may be a bit uncomfortable (iOS 7 anyone?). I, for one, look forward to bumbling through the learning curve on the new 3D Touch Display, as the benefits will most certainly outweigh the costs.
No comments:
Post a Comment