With the new iPhone, you have a unique feature called the 3D Touch. It is cool but you first you need to know how can you use it.
For a regular user it takes time to learn how to use features like this, here you will find the exact implementation and uses of this excellent feature from iPhone.
Things to learn first: a soft tap, a hard tap and an even harder tap.
iPhone Keyboard can now work as a trackpad
For easier editing iPhone’s keyboard can now work as a trackpad. To use this, you need to Tap a key to type as you normally do. Then while holding your finger on a key press a bit harder, by this the keyboard will change to grey; the keyboard can now be used as a trackpad.
Now if you drag your finger, you can enter text at the same place, by pressing even harder you can now highlight the text.
Preview links in Emails and Messages
You can surf your emails and messages with links better by previewing them by pressing on link softly and if you press even harder the link will pop open.
Add to Reading List
If you want to read a link at a later stage, you can just press the link softly, and a preview will open as we discussed on the last point. Now by dragging a bit while pressing the link softly you will get an options panel with three things – Open in New Tab, Add to Reading List and Copy link. This works in Safari browser for obvious reasons.
Camera Quick Launch
Now you can press softly Camera app and get options such as Take Selfie, Record Video, Record Slo-mo and Take Photo. A really useful implementation for Instant-selfies.
Maps with Home and Location feature
In 3D touch, you can press the Apple maps softly and you will get four options – Direction Home, Mark my Location, Send my location and Search Nearby. This way you can save time while going home for sure.
Many more apps give option
Apps like Calendar app give you the option to Add event. Add a note with Notes app. Search app store or iTunes. Show recent photos from Photos app and much more. All this with 3D touch.
Share Photos Quickly
Similar to “Read Later.” shortcut, when you press a photo or video softly and drag it down you will get an options window with Copy, Share, Favorite, and Delete.
Swipe for App Switching and Next App
With the right pressure, you will get this neat trick to work. When you press on the left side of the device, near the edge of the screen. Swipe to the right side like dragging app currently in use.
While doing this try partially swiping across the screen and release, this will bring an app switcher interface.
Drawing with Pressure
The Notes app from Apple is the first of the apps to be integrated with 3D Touch as a function within the app that’s running. It will allow you to display while you draw with some pressure sensitivity.
When you start a new drawing and pick a pencil tool. Touching with light pressure will draw a line, and when you apply a bit more pressure, the line gets darker. No Wacom Stylus or iPencil is needed.
Animated lock screen.
Live Photo can become an animated background for your lock screen. This animation is not contained and this way it does not drain your battery. When you need to see the animation you have to press the screen and 3D Touch will animate the live photo. You can go back and forth in time with a different degree of firmness while pressing on lock screen with a photo.
Save Images in Safari
You can press on any image in Safari while browsing websites and like ‘Read later’ option you will get a Save Image and Copy option when you press and drag in the preview pane.
Over to you. Have you bought the new iPhone and experienced the 3D Touch? How is it?