The iPhone’s 3D Touch feature was highly popular among power users who wanted more tactile control over their devices.
When tapping the screen or a specific icon, the device responds differently than holding it down and pressing, adding versatility.
A shortcut menu would pop up for the latter rather than directly opening the app, offering various options, including the ability to customize the Home Screen.
Initially introduced with the iPhone 6S, 3D Touch was lauded for its versatility and accessibility.
However, it was phased out in favor of the Haptic Touch feature on the iPhone XR line to streamline costs and simplify design.
But what is Haptic Touch on the iPhone, and how do you use it, exactly? Let’s discuss further below.
How Is Haptic Touch Different From 3D-Touch
The 3D Touch feature, Haptic Touch’s predecessor, allowed you to apply pressure to icons on your iPhone’s screen to trigger a shortcut menu.
Unlike 3D Touch, Haptic Touch isn’t pressure-based. Instead, it responds to long-press with a vibration to let you know it recognizes your action, which is why it’s called Haptic Touch.
While the 3D Touch feature was a functional hardware effort, more costly and complex to implement, Haptic Touch is software-based.
While 3D Touch worked well with Apple’s apps, other developers didn’t adopt it widely because it was expensive and time-consuming.
Haptic Touch, on the other hand, is simpler and less costly to integrate. As a result, more apps have been able to offer shortcut menus using a similar long-press gesture.
The menu can display various options for apps that have implemented this feature extensively. At the very least, most apps will offer options to edit the app on the home screen, share it, or remove it.
How to Customize Haptic Touch
In previous iOS versions, you might have noticed the Haptic Touch speed options labeled as “Default,” “Slower,” and “Slowest.”
In iOS 16, these options were updated to “Fast” and “Slow,” with Fast corresponding to the current Default in iOS 17.
Earlier versions of iOS allowed you to either keep the default speed or slow down Haptic Touch. Now, you also have the option to speed it up, which will change how you use your iPhone.
To speed up Haptic Touch in iOS 17, follow these steps:
1. Go to Settings, then Accessibility.
2. Under the Physical and Motor section, tap Touch.
3. On the next screen, tap Haptic Touch.
4. Choose Fast from the options (the touch duration will be set to Default after iOS 17 is installed).
Apple has also added a convenient icon below these settings to test the touch duration.
Apps Currently Compatible With Haptic Touch
Almost all apps native to Apple work with haptic touch settings, as well as a good number of third-party offerings.
There are a lot of examples of such haptic user-to-screen interactions, including:
- Touching the bottom of the lock screen to turn the screen off and on, tapping screen notifications
- Tapping on the camera app to automatically open it
- Tapping on the notifications from the lock screen to view additional details
- Quickly add events by tapping the calendar app or long-tapping to select the day’s details
- Quickly accessing your contacts to add/remove contacts
- Viewing most recent calls and voicemails
- Search nearby locations, or tag or share your current one
- Activate WiFi and Bluetooth
- View battery and mobile data settings
- Using the Clock app to set timers, alarms, and a stopwatch
- Check your location’s weather
- Snooze DMs and notifications
- Selecting your favorite Waze destination
- Open an Amazon or Safari search
- Health apps for reviewing your health data
- WhatsApp to participate in, search, and send attachments in chats
Bottom Line
Haptic Touch has significantly improved the speed and efficiency of interactions on the iPhone.
While it may not fully replace 3D Touch for some users, Haptic Touch has evolved into a practical and valuable feature that changes how people use their iPhones.
Please leave a comment below if you have any questions.
