The iPhone XR that Apple introduced this autumn has generally been well-received among consumers and tech pundits alike. But while the iPhone XR got many of the same internal upgrades the iPhone XS received–like processor and Face ID–Apple’s new phone is missing one major feature all iPhones have had since the iPhone 6s: 3D Touch.
3D Touch allows the iPhone’s screen to record the force of a touch and launch contextual items. For example, if you 3D Touch on an app icon on an iPhone 6s display or above–including the new iPhone XS–you’ll feel a bump and then a contextual menu will pop up from behind the icon.
3D Touch is also implemented around other myriad areas of iOS, from links and pictures, to advanced in-game controls.
But with the iPhone XR, Apple decided not to include 3D Touch. This is mainly down to limitations the iPhone XR’s “Liquid Retina” display enforced. There just wasn’t room for a 3D Touch panel on the XR’s rounded display.
Enter Haptic Touch
So instead of including a 3D Touch display, Apple introduced a dumbed down version of the technology on the iPhone XR. Apple calls it “Haptic Touch” and you can think of it as the poor man's 3D Touch. Haptic Touch enables the iPhone XR to have 3D Touch-like features, but without the real experience.
The iPhone XR’s display, in other words, can’t really detect the force or amount of pressure a user touches the screen with. Instead, Haptic Touch registers how long a user leaves his or her finger on a UI element and then, if the finger is left long enough, enables a contextual menu or other action from the touch. It’s called “Haptic Touch” because, like 3D Touch, the iPhone will vibrate and make a small bump that can be felt by the user’s hand.
How To Use Haptic Touch On The iPhone XR
The good news is Haptic Touch is activated by default on the iPhone XR. The bad news is Haptic Touch does not support nearly as many actions and contextual menus as 3D Touch does. Matter of fact, it’ll take less time to explain what Haptic Touch does work on on the iPhone XR than what it doesn’t do compared to the iPhone XS and 3D Touch.
Haptic Touch will allow you to access the torch and camera shortcut buttons on the lock screen. It will also allow you to turn the keyboard into a trackpad, as well as trigger Live Photo movement, and trigger quick replies in notifications.
To use Haptic Touch, you simply need to press and hold on a compatible UI element. Users can also modify how long they need to press and hold on an element before Haptic Touch activates. To do this, tap the Settings app and then go to General > Accessibility > Haptic Touch. Under “Touch Duration” choose between fast or slow.
Fast is the default Haptic Touch setting while Slow means you’ll need to place your finger on the screen and leave it there for twice as long.
by michaelg via Featured Articles
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