“Last week Bloomberg reported Apple had begun ramping up production on the company’s next-generation iPhone, which includes a new feature called Force Touch,” Jason Cipriani reports for Fortune.
“Fortune talked to Greg Pierce, an iOS developer and President of Agile Tortoise, about what this new feature could mean for Apple users,” Cipriani reports. “Despite potential gains, the technology faces problems with discoverability, which refers to how easy it is for consumers to discover and use a new feature, he says. He later explained that, ‘…because Force Touch gestures are invisible to users, it will be difficult to make use of the feature in a way that is not also available via a button, menu, or other on screen element.”'”
“With Force Touch technology already present in other Mac products, are users now being taught how to intuitively use Force Touch-like interaction?” Cipriani reports. “It certainly appears so.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Yes with Apple Watch, Force Touch is completely invisible (just as simple taps are, BTW). The user has to know, and remember, to invoke Force Touch. For a week or so with our new Apple Watches, we simply Force Touched everything in order to discover features. Now, over two and a half months later, using Force Touch has long ago become second nature.
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s Force Touch iPhone 6s to be major differentiator, put rivals at further disadvantage – July 6, 2015
Apple assemblers begin making next-gen iPhones with Force Touch – June 27, 2015
Analyst: Apple’s ‘iPhone 6s’ to feature stronger 7000 series aluminum, slightly thicker for Force Touch – June 17, 2015
Apple’s new Force Touch patent application reveals stylus, virtual paint brush, 3D buttons interactions – May 28, 2015
Apple’s forthcoming iOS 9 supports ‘iPhone 6s’ Force Touch – May 26, 2015
Apple patent application reveals work on Force Touch for iOS devices and more – March 5, 2015
Force Touch rumored to arrive exclusively on ‘iPhone 6s Plus’ – April 2, 2015
Apple’s next-gen iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus to feature Force Touch – February 28, 2015
On the new MacBook trackpad, I think the cooler element is the haptic feedback in response to Force Touch. It feels like the trackpad is clicking down.
I don’t know if either of the new iPhones models will have haptic feedback, like Apple Watch. If it does, imagine the impact on basic things like typing on the on-screen keyboard; it would feel more like a physical keyboard. Or “pressing” ANY onscreen button; the “feel” serves as confirmation, instead of having to see something happen on the screen. Or enhancing player actions in games.
Rumours do not mention Haptic Feedback. Besides, including it would make iPhone thicker not by 0.2 mm as from Force Touch, but significantly more since the haptic feedback engine has significant thickness.
Besides, Blackberry already experimented with clickable screen in smartphones — they had actual clickable mechanism of a button behind the screen — the user experience was not successful.
I remember the clickable screen BlackBerry. I colleague brought one in to work and was proudly showing it to others. I got a chance to play with it. While a worthwhile experiment, it should never have gone further than the lab in which it was conceived.
Can’t imagine force touch without haptic feedback.
Haptic feedback for onscreen button presses is great to have.. Surprised iPhones weren’t capable of it till recently.. My Galaxy S2 has had if from the beginning and that was over 4 years ago. It”s ok, in most cases iOS adds the feature when it’s stable though it is unfortunate that release is somewhat later.
It’s obvious that Apple didn’t think haptic feedback was an essential feature until they teamed it Force Touch. I’m sure it’s helpful in general for non-visual feedback on buttons and such, but with multi-level pressure sensing it would seem imperative.
It would be interesting if the intensity of the haptic feedback corresponds with how much force is applied.
I only played with the new ForceTouch MacBook for a few minutes, but I was disturbed by the loss of the three finger grab and move for windows. Instead, it seemed the only way to do this was with a single finger held down for a spell, then drag. Not good, IMHO.
Still available but moved. Accessibility/ Mouse and Trackpad/ Trackpad options. Took a while to find it. Could not live without it.
Well, that was a stupid move, Apple…hiding the best multi-touch gesture there is.
LOL. I just accidentally downvoted myself. Well, there’s an extra 1-star for anyone who wants to hate on my comment.
Agile Tortise seems rather slow. Oh no! People will have to learn a new feature and that means it’s doomed. What an idiot.