3D Touch explained: Why is Apple’s new technology such a big deal?

WHAT IS 3D TOUCH?

3D touch is the ability to experience the virtual world in much the same way the real world is experienced --- intuitively, interactively, and with a full complement of complex tactile sensations.  Much more than simple “joy buzzer” vibrations, 3D touch allows computer users to navigate in three-dimensional space naturally while feeling sophisticated, high-fidelity simulations of weight, texture, shape, and dynamics.

One example of it's applications in gaming is through the feeling of recoil for weapons. Since the level of touch that can be simulated is very sophisticated, it allows each weapon to have it's very own unique feel. In computer-generated environments, 3D touch makes it possible to practice complex surgical procedures, to polish a golf swing, to distinguish the viscosity differences between molasses and honey, to pull back a bowstring, and more.  3D touch is deeply affecting, genuinely helpful for users, never gimmicky, and when implemented correctly, it can be as crucial to an application as sound or even graphics.

3D touch explained peek pop and quick actions

You’ll be hearing a lot about it over the next several months, and you might even see it in other phones. Now that the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are out, 3D Touch is going to be frequently talked about as the technology matures. So just what the heck is 3D Touch, and why should you care? We made a video explaining what it is, and how it will change how you navigate your iPhone.

How it works?

Basically, 3D Touch senses how much pressure you apply to the iPhone’s display. Isn’t that just like a long press? No, it’s really not. Apple says that when you press the display, capacitive sensors measure microscopic changes in the distance between the cover glass and the backlight. Apple’s software will then determine how much pressure is being applied, and dynamically adapt based on context.

In addition to gestures like tap, swipe and pinch, 3D Touch brings a new dimension to iOS with “Peek” and “Pop,” making it easier for users to get information at a glance at navigation between applications. And developers will have free reign over how they want to implement the new technology into their apps.

With Peek, just lightly press on the screen, and you’ll get a popup of information depending on what app you’re in. In mail, for example, you can lightly press on an email and you’ll get a quick peek at what that email contains. If you deem it important, just press a little harder and you’ll Pop into it. Easy, right?

There are several other little things that 3D Touch does to improve the overall experience. Press the keyboard within an app and it’ll turn into a trackpad; quickly bring up the multitasking menu by pressing the left side of the home screen; and draw like a pro by pressing lightly for finer lines, or more deeply for thicker ones.

As of now, 3D Touch is best demonstrated with Apple’s own apps; we’ll have to wait for developers to experiment with the technology before it really soars. Some popular apps, such as Instagram, have already updated to accommodate for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, so it probably won’t be long before you’re peeking and popping your way around iOS.