As predicted, Apple has removed the 3D Touch feature from its 2019 model iPhones, transitioning to a less hardware-intensive Haptic Touch solution that debuted with iPhone XR last year.
The change was not mentioned during the company’s media event on Tuesday, Apple describing the change in sections of the product’s dedicated webpage.
“Haptic Touch lets you do things faster, like take selfies without launching the Camera app,” Apple says.
The technical specifications for both the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro mention the Haptic Touch feature, while there remains no mention of the 3D Touch feature.
Introduced alongside iPhone XR in 2018, Haptic Touch does without 3D Touch hardware, specifically a capacitive sensing layer, by delivering a similar user experience through software. Instead of pressing firmly on a 3D Touch display, users touch and hold UI elements to invoke secondary commands like app Quick Actions and contextual “Peek and Pop” views.
Apple introduced the 3D Touch feature in 2015 with the launch of the iPhone 6S, bringing the pressure-sensitive input to Apple’s handset. Unfortunately, the feature was rarely utilized by third-party developers. Pressure sensitivity is arguably more useful on iPad which does support the feature thanks to Apple Pencil.
It was also rumored that a conversion away from 3D Touch technology would increase internal headroom inside the handset as well as help save on production costs.
It was also rumored that Apple would upgrade the Taptic Engine chip, which serves as the underlying hardware for all haptic feedback-related functions within the iPhone.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider and Apple