3D Touch – If you’ve ever pressed down on your smartphone screen a little harder than usual, only to see a whole new menu pop up, you’ve experienced 3D Touch technology. It’s one of those things that you might not even realize you’re using—until you can’t anymore. And let me tell you, I had a moment of panic the first time I got a phone without it. It was like realizing I’d lost a superpower I didn’t even know I had.
I remember when I first got my hands on an iPhone 6s. It felt like something out of a sci-fi movie—pressing the screen with different levels of pressure to trigger different actions was mind-blowing. Instead of just tapping, I could peek at a photo, preview an email, or quickly jump to a specific part of an app. I was honestly hooked. But then, over time, I started noticing that a lot of my friends and people around me didn’t even care for 3D Touch. Some didn’t even know what it was, which totally blew my mind.
When I upgraded to a newer phone that didn’t have 3D Touch, I felt a little lost. Sure, Apple replaced it with Haptic Touch, which mimics the same idea, but it wasn’t quite the same. It’s the kind of thing you don’t realize you use until it’s gone. And trust me, I started missing it when I couldn’t quickly preview my messages or check out a link without fully opening it.
How 3D Touch Technology is Redefining Smartphone Interactions
What Is 3D Touch, Anyway?
In case you’ve never tried it, 3D Touch is essentially a pressure-sensitive feature that was first introduced by Apple with the iPhone 6s. It allowed users to apply different amounts of pressure on the screen to trigger different actions. Think of it like pressing harder on a physical button to get a different response than a regular tap. It wasn’t just about tapping on icons; it was about how deeply you pressed the screen.
One of the best features of 3D Touch was the “Peek and Pop” function. You could press lightly on a message or a webpage link to “peek” at its contents without actually opening it. A little harder press would “pop” the content open completely. It was a clever way to multitask and navigate your phone without unnecessary taps.
I remember trying it out for the first time and feeling like I was in the future. I could see the potential for how this would make navigating my phone more intuitive. But then, with later iPhones, Apple quietly phased it out in favor of Haptic Touch, which works in a similar way but doesn’t rely on pressure sensitivity. Instead, it’s all about holding the screen long enough to trigger the action, and while it works, it’s just not the same.
How 3D Touch Changes the Game for Smartphone Interactions
Now, let’s talk about why 3D Touch really matters. I’ve learned that it wasn’t just a cool gimmick—it was a way of redefining how we interacted with our smartphones. One of the most frustrating things about touchscreens before 3D Touch was that you were either tapping or swiping. That was it. If you wanted to see more, you’d have to open the app fully, wait for it to load, and go through the motions.
With 3D Touch, the experience became way more fluid. I could preview things in a snap, and for multitaskers like me, that was a lifesaver. For instance, imagine you’re texting someone, and you get a notification for a new email. Normally, you’d have to back out of your texting app, go into your email, read the message, and then come back to your conversation. But with 3D Touch, you could just press on the mail app icon, get a preview, and respond right there without ever leaving your current app. It saved a ton of time.
Plus, 3D Touch was perfect for managing notifications. I hate having to scroll through a ton of messages or alerts to find what I’m looking for. With a simple press, I could see a quick preview of notifications—whether it was a message, a calendar reminder, or a social media post—without opening the app.
Practical Uses of 3D Touch I Loved
Here’s where 3D Touch really showed its value. When I was using my phone for photography, 3D Touch helped me access the camera’s settings quicker. I could press on the camera icon to instantly switch between photo, video, or slow-motion modes without opening the camera app fully. This was huge when I was in a rush to capture a moment. Same with notifications; I could swipe and press to instantly reply to messages.
Another handy feature was with music and podcasts. I could press on the Music app icon to get a preview of what I was listening to, control playback, or skip a song—without opening the app itself. It was like a shortcut that saved me time throughout my day.
For people who are into productivity, 3D Touch was fantastic for quickly accessing files, apps, and settings. There’s something so satisfying about quickly jumping into what you need with just a press.
What Happened to 3D Touch?
So, what happened to 3D Touch? Well, Apple eventually phased it out in favor of Haptic Touch starting with the iPhone XR. I think the reasoning was that Haptic Touch was simpler to implement across more devices and didn’t require the pressure-sensitive hardware. But if you ask me, it’s a little less exciting.
Haptic Touch is still good—it’s just that it doesn’t have the same level of sensitivity. Instead of pressing harder, you simply hold down on an icon or link. But honestly, after getting used to 3D Touch, I felt like I was losing a little of the responsiveness and ease. It’s not as nuanced, and while it gets the job done, it’s just not as satisfying.
But here’s the thing: As technology evolves, it’s only a matter of time before we see something even better. Maybe 3D Touch is just the first step toward more advanced, multi-dimensional interactions with our devices. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get smartphones that can feel even more intuitive, responding to gestures and movements we haven’t thought of yet.
A Quick Tip for Those Who Miss 3D Touch
If you’re someone who misses 3D Touch and wants to bring some of that functionality back, my advice is to play around with Haptic Touch’s settings. On newer iPhones, you can adjust how long you need to press for the action to trigger. It’s not exactly the same as 3D Touch, but it can make the experience feel a bit more responsive. Also, keep an eye on the upcoming iPhone updates—Apple tends to surprise us with new features every year.
The Final Verdict
In the end, 3D Touch was a feature that, at first, seemed like a little bonus. But as I used it more, I realized just how it reshaped the way I interacted with my phone. It was all about speed, ease, and accessibility—things that, once you get used to, you can’t go without. Sure, we’re now in the Haptic Touch era, but I think 3D Touch’s legacy will live on in how future smartphones aim to create even more seamless interactions.
So if you’ve never tried 3D Touch before, it’s something to definitely appreciate, even if it’s been replaced by something else. And for those who miss it, just remember that tech is always moving forward, and there’s likely something better on the horizon.
