Apple’s 3D Touch is great, and makes navigating iOS a hundred times easier. No longer do you have to jump in and out of settings or dig through menus just to toggle a simple feature. It’s still very much a young technology, but it shows a lot of promise, and when done right, it can become a huge part of the iPhone for years to come.
That said, the only way for it to really get better is for third-party developers to take advantage of it. I mean, it’s nice that we can quickly take a selfie and Peek and Pop through Mail, but if it’s not implemented in our favorite apps, it’ll be forgotten in no time. Thankfully developers are already thinking of clever ways to use 3D Touch, making navigation and functionality that much better. Below are five apps you need to try to take advantage of your iPhone’s 3D Touch tech.
Magic Piano
3D touch adds an entirely new level of complexity in Magic Piano. Now when you press on keys, they’ll react depending on the level of force you apply—just like in real life. Press soft, and you’ll get a soft sound. Press hard, and you’ll get a harder sound. Try it for yourself and you’ll notice a difference. It’s pretty much like playing the real piano, giving you a deeper level of immersion.
Shazam
Shazam doesn’t support Peek and Pop, but it does support Quick Actions, allowing you to start listening or take a photo with a firm press. Functionally things are still the same, but it does take a few steps out of the equation, which can be the difference between missing and identifying a song.
This is probably the best example of what makes 3D Touch so great, and Apple even highlighted what Instagram can do during its presentation. With Peek and Pop, you can quickly look at pictures in your feed without fully jumping into that person’s profile. And with Quick Actions, you can quickly take and post a photo. It’s something you’ll find yourself using every day, and the perfect way to show what 3D touch can do.
Dropbox
Dropbox might not sound like a prime candidate for 3D Touch, but it’s actually implemented quite well. You can Peek and Pop to get previews of folders and files you have stored, and you can use Quick Actions to upload photos. It doesn’t sound like that big of a deal, but it makes a difference over time.
Evernote
You either love or hate Evernote. With 3D Touch, the inclusion of Quick Actions means you can easily add notes, take photos and set reminders. And when inside the app, you can Peek and Pop into links, get previews of your notes, and more. Similar to Dropbox, the little changes make a big difference the more you use them.
All of the apps above are free, so you really don’t have anything to lose by trying them out. 3D Touch is still very much in its infancy, so we’re really not seeing the best of what it has to offer just yet. The more developers find ways to implement the technology into its apps, the better 3D Touch will become. Check out the video to see how Apple’s tech works with the apps mentioned above.
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