Inside iOS 9.3: Apple's native apps gain new 3D Touch shortcuts on iPhone 6s

AppleInsider · January 12, 2016 2:07PM

The upcoming release of iOS 9.3 will bring new 3D Touch shortcuts to Apple's built-in apps on the iPhone 6s, most notably giving users the ability to quickly update App Store installs, or access battery or Wi-Fi settings.

Developers were issued the first beta of iOS 9.3 this week, revealing some of the changes planned for the forthcoming update. In particular, Apple has added a new "Update All" 3D Touch shortcut to the App Store icon, as well as a "Purchased" link.

Previously, the iOS Settings app lacked any 3D Touch shortcuts at all, but that's set to change with iOS 9.3. In the first beta, developers can quickly access "Bluetooth," "Wi-Fi," "Battery," and "Set Wallpaper" by firmly pressing the icon.

Apple's native Weather app also gains 3D Touch support in iOS 9.3, providing iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus users with quick access to their most frequently checked cities. A link to add a new city is also offered.

The iTunes Store now comes with "View Downloads" and "Purchased" links via 3D Touch, and Apple's Health app icon can be used to quickly access "Show Dashboard" and "Show Medical ID."

Even some of Apple's legacy iOS apps were given a 3D Touch upgrade in the first beta of iOS 9.3, as users can press down on the Compass icon to access "Start Level" and "Start Compass." The native iOS Stocks app also comes with a 3D Touch link to search for stocks.

MacPro · January 12, 2016 2:21PM

I'm looking forward to a 'forth' dimensional touch ... it would be very useful for day training

Deeeds · January 12, 2016 3:00PM

These options clearly show the user activity desires of Apple. Interesting because there was a time when effort went into surfacing functionality of genuine benefit to ease of user experience, and operational rapidity. Previously one might even expect some focus on user joy. Now there's a peculiar fascination with extraction. Is "Redeem" really the second most common operation in the AppStore and Apple Music? Or even in the top ten most likely user behaviours?

LoneStar88 · January 12, 2016 3:23PM

Deeeds said:

These options clearly show the user activity desires of Apple. Interesting because there was a time when effort went into surfacing functionality of genuine benefit to ease of user experience, and operational rapidity. Previously one might even expect some focus on user joy. Now there's a peculiar fascination with extraction. Is "Redeem" really the second most common operation in the AppStore and Apple Music? Or even in the top ten most likely user behaviours?

Complain, complain, complain. Is that all you people know how to do? Is it really such a pain for you to simply learn something new?

I'm looking forward to using these new functions on my 6+. Personally, we earn iTunes gift cards when we use our Barclaycard (via Apple Pay, of course) to purchase Apple products. It would be handy to redeem them via my phone.

3D touch will become more and more relevant the more developers implement it. This is Hours Tracker which I use all the time. 3D touch lets me go directly to the functions I use most often and then get back to work.

Image: http://forums.appleinsider.com/uploads/editor/h5/x9xzp9qe08io.png

So why bloody not shouldn't Apple be the first to implement and promote it?

elijahg · January 12, 2016 3:27PM

LoneStar88 said:

Deeeds said:

These options clearly show the user activity desires of Apple. Interesting because there was a time when effort went into surfacing functionality of genuine benefit to ease of user experience, and operational rapidity. Previously one might even expect some focus on user joy. Now there's a peculiar fascination with extraction. Is "Redeem" really the second most common operation in the AppStore and Apple Music? Or even in the top ten most likely user behaviours?

Complain, complain, complain. Is that all you people know how to do? Is it really such a pain for you to simply learn something new?

I'm looking forward to using these new functions on my 6+. Personally, we earn iTunes gift cards when we use our Barclaycard (via Apple Pay, of course) to purchase Apple products. It would be handy to redeem them via my phone.

3D touch will become more and more relevant the more developers use it. So why bloody not shouldn't Apple be the first to implement and promote it?

You've got the wrong end of the stick entirely. He's saying that Apple's putting shortcuts for their financial gain above ease of use for the user.

rogifan_old · January 12, 2016 3:38PM

elijahg said:

LoneStar88 said:

Complain, complain, complain. Is that all you people know how to do? Is it really such a pain for you to simply learn something new?

I'm looking forward to using these new functions on my 6+. Personally, we earn iTunes gift cards when we use our Barclaycard (via Apple Pay, of course) to purchase Apple products. It would be handy to redeem them via my phone.

3D touch will become more and more relevant the more developers use it. So why bloody not shouldn't Apple be the first to implement and promote it?

You've got the wrong end of the stick entirely. He's saying that Apple's putting shortcuts for their financial gain above ease of use for the user.

So a shortcut for redeeming gift cards isn't use of use for end user? I would imagine Apple has a good idea of what thinks people do most in their stock apps.

Rayz2016 · January 12, 2016 4:27PM

Deeeds said:

These options clearly show the user activity desires of Apple. Interesting because there was a time when effort went into surfacing functionality of genuine benefit to ease of user experience, and operational rapidity. Previously one might even expect some focus on user joy. Now there's a peculiar fascination with extraction. Is "Redeem" really the second most common operation in the AppStore and Apple Music? Or even in the top ten most likely user behaviours?

Interesting take, but I'm afraid you're looking at it from the wrong angle.

In designing the force touch interface, you don't look at the four most common functions that people use while they're in the app, for the simple reason that they're not in the app. And in many situations they probably don't really need to launch into the app to get hold of a piece of information or perform a particular function.

In other words, you use real world scenarios: what would a user suddenly need to do from the app grid and where would it make sense to put it. Search is the obvious one, because I can see a case where I'd be walking through a shop, and I hear some piece of music playing in the background. If I know the title or the artist then I can just hold down the iTunes Store button and use the search to find it for me.

At first glance, Redeem seems less obvious to you because Redeem is not one of the top five things you'd do when you're inside the app. But it's certainly one of the top things that you should be able to do without going inside the app. If I'm given an iTunes voucher as a present then the first thing I'd do (after wondering why I didn't get more money) is redeem it before I forget about it or lose it. That's the difference; it's not about the most popular function, it's about the function that makes the most sense to do quickly and without necessarily accessing the full application.

And if you think it through, your argument makes even less sense if you remember that someone has already paid for the voucher and Apple has pocketed the money before it's actually redeemed. It would make more sense from a financial standpoint to leave the Redeem item off the menu altogether.

I'm going to make a prediction: When Apple upgrades the Apple Store app, EasyPay will appear on the 3D touch menu. Why? Because when I'm standing in an Apple Store holding a new gadget I want to buy, then there's no reason why I should have to open the Apple Store app to pay for it. I should be able to just hold down the icon and be allowed to pay directly from the there.

Inside my car, there's a touch screen for doing all sorts of clever things with music and telephones and maps and whatnot. It's probably the set of functions I interact with the most while I'm using the car; oddly enough, even though I use those functions heavily, Toyota didn't feel the need to put the same touch screen on the outside of the car door. It's all a question of context.

razormaid · January 12, 2016 5:21PM

all of this would be really cool if I could actually get it installed on ANY iPad! I have all three of the newest models and except for my iPhone 6s Plus I can't get a single one of them to install and go past the "launch" screen showing the big Apple. And I'm not alone here guys! I just can't believe that Apple didn't test this on at least one of their new iPads. I mean come on... iPad Pro - no go! iPad Mini 4 - no go! iPad Air 2 - no go! It's mind numbing that all three of the latest won't complete the install. Their remedy? Hold down the Start Button + Home button till it turns off there keep holding the home button till you get to the reinstall option. The problem with that is.... it's not reinstalling 9.3, it's not even installing 9.2.1 beta (whatever the last one we had was), no its installing 9.2 and as an added bonus <tuh duh> it wiped your device clean like you just bought it. Really? All three? Not one can install it properly?

bobschlob · January 12, 2016 5:44PM

Oooh! Shortcut for changing wallpaper. That's awesome!
So much more useful than a shortcut to toggle "cellular" on or off would be.
And battery!! Now I can pop up a link to check battery status rather than having to look at the upper right corner of my screen!

nolamacguy · January 12, 2016 5:46PM

elijahg said:

LoneStar88 said:

Complain, complain, complain. Is that all you people know how to do? Is it really such a pain for you to simply learn something new?

I'm looking forward to using these new functions on my 6+. Personally, we earn iTunes gift cards when we use our Barclaycard (via Apple Pay, of course) to purchase Apple products. It would be handy to redeem them via my phone.

3D touch will become more and more relevant the more developers use it. So why bloody not shouldn't Apple be the first to implement and promote it?

You've got the wrong end of the stick entirely. He's saying that Apple's putting shortcuts for their financial gain above ease of use for the user.

no, we got that. and he correctly identified it as pointless complaining. "redeeming" a gift card is a valid use case. one which surely apple has metrics on how often people need to perform it -- enough so to make a shortcut useful.

but if you have data to show thats unlikely, id love to see it.

Deeeds · January 12, 2016 9:06PM

Rayz2016 said:

Deeeds said:

These options clearly show the user activity desires of Apple. Interesting because there was a time when effort went into surfacing functionality of genuine benefit to ease of user experience, and operational rapidity. Previously one might even expect some focus on user joy. Now there's a peculiar fascination with extraction. Is "Redeem" really the second most common operation in the AppStore and Apple Music? Or even in the top ten most likely user behaviours?

Interesting take, but I'm afraid you're looking at it from the wrong angle.

In designing the force touch interface, you don't look at the four most common functions that people use while they're in the app, for the simple reason that they're not in the app. And in many situations they probably don't really need to launch into the app to get hold of a piece of information or perform a particular function.

In other words, you use real world scenarios: what would a user suddenly need to do from the app grid and where would it make sense to put it. Search is the obvious one, because I can see a case where I'd be walking through a shop, and I hear some piece of music playing in the background. If I know the title or the artist then I can just hold down the iTunes Store button and use the search to find it for me.

At first glance, Redeem seems less obvious to you because Redeem is not one of the top five things you'd do when you're inside the app. But it's certainly one of the top things that you should be able to do without going inside the app. If I'm given an iTunes voucher as a present then the first thing I'd do (after wondering why I didn't get more money) is redeem it before I forget about it or lose it. That's the difference; it's not about the most popular function, it's about the function that makes the most sense to do quickly and without necessarily accessing the full application.

And if you think it through, your argument makes even less sense if you remember that someone has already paid for the voucher and Apple has pocketed the money before it's actually redeemed. It would make more sense from a financial standpoint to leave the Redeem item off the menu altogether.

I'm going to make a prediction: When Apple upgrades the Apple Store app, EasyPay will appear on the 3D touch menu. Why? Because when I'm standing in an Apple Store holding a new gadget I want to buy, then there's no reason why I should have to open the Apple Store app to pay for it. I should be able to just hold down the icon and be allowed to pay directly from the there.

Inside my car, there's a touch screen for doing all sorts of clever things with music and telephones and maps and whatnot. It's probably the set of functions I interact with the most while I'm using the car; oddly enough, even though I use those functions heavily, Toyota didn't feel the need to put the same touch screen on the outside of the car door. It's all a question of context.

So it suits your use cases, which you imagine to be "real world scenarios" and is therefore valid?

To me it looks more like an attempt to remind users they can buy cards with credit for themselves and as gifts. And that redemption of these is (in Apple's eyes) the second most important thing you can do. More so than updates, in the case of the AppStore. That's intriguing.

Deeeds · January 12, 2016 9:08PM

nolamacguy said:

elijahg said:

You've got the wrong end of the stick entirely. He's saying that Apple's putting shortcuts for their financial gain above ease of use for the user.

no, we got that. and he correctly identified it as pointless complaining. "redeeming" a gift card is a valid use case. one which surely apple has metrics on how often people need to perform it -- enough so to make a shortcut useful.

but if you have data to show thats unlikely, id love to see it.

Since you're saying "surely apple has metrics..." and that those metrics favour these choices, aren't your required to show some supporting data?

LoneStar88 · January 12, 2016 9:23PM

elijahg said:

LoneStar88 said:

Complain, complain, complain. Is that all you people know how to do? Is it really such a pain for you to simply learn something new?

I'm looking forward to using these new functions on my 6+. Personally, we earn iTunes gift cards when we use our Barclaycard (via Apple Pay, of course) to purchase Apple products. It would be handy to redeem them via my phone.

3D touch will become more and more relevant the more developers use it. So why bloody not shouldn't Apple be the first to implement and promote it?

You've got the wrong end of the stick entirely. He's saying that Apple's putting shortcuts for their financial gain above ease of use for the user.

I got that. I just don't think Apple should be expected to dumb down anything so that lazy stupid people will feel better.

LoneStar88 · January 12, 2016 9:28PM

Deeeds said:

nolamacguy said:

no, we got that. and he correctly identified it as pointless complaining. "redeeming" a gift card is a valid use case. one which surely apple has metrics on how often people need to perform it -- enough so to make a shortcut useful.

but if you have data to show thats unlikely, id love to see it.

Since you're saying "surely apple has metrics..." and that those metrics favour these choices, aren't your required to show some supporting data?

Like is said: lazy and stupid. Figure it out yourself.

bobschlob · January 12, 2016 10:13PM

nolamacguy said:

elijahg said:

You've got the wrong end of the stick entirely. He's saying that Apple's putting shortcuts for their financial gain above ease of use for the user.

no, we got that. and he correctly identified it as pointless complaining. "redeeming" a gift card is a valid use case. one which surely apple has metrics on how often people need to perform it -- enough so to make a shortcut useful.

but if you have data to show thats unlikely, id love to see it.

You're the one who "surely" brought up metrics data. So, you show yours first...
My guess (which is as good as yours) is it's there simply as advertisement to remind people about buying and using (now, with all new the convenient pop-up!), Apple gift cards.

Deeeds · January 12, 2016 10:52PM

bobschlob said:

nolamacguy said:

no, we got that. and he correctly identified it as pointless complaining. "redeeming" a gift card is a valid use case. one which surely apple has metrics on how often people need to perform it -- enough so to make a shortcut useful.

but if you have data to show thats unlikely, id love to see it.

You're the one who "surely" brought up metrics data. So, you show yours first...
My guess (which is as good as yours) is it's there simply as advertisement to remind people about buying and using (now, with all new the convenient pop-up!), Apple gift cards.

No, I asked a question: ""Redeem" really the second most common operation in the AppStore and Apple Music? Or even in the top ten most likely user behaviours?"

Or two.

bobschlob · January 13, 2016 1:16AM

Deeeds said:

bobschlob said:

You're the one who "surely" brought up metrics data. So, you show yours first...
My guess (which is as good as yours) is it's there simply as advertisement to remind people about buying and using (now, with all new the convenient pop-up!), Apple gift cards.

No, I asked a question: ""Redeem" really the second most common operation in the AppStore and Apple Music? Or even in the top ten most likely user behaviours?"

Or two.

I dunno. I'm looking at your post and I don't see one of these symbols --> ? anywhere in it.

Deeeds · January 13, 2016 2:44AM

bobschlob said:

Deeeds said:

No, I asked a question: ""Redeem" really the second most common operation in the AppStore and Apple Music? Or even in the top ten most likely user behaviours?"

Or two.

I dunno. I'm looking at your post and I don't see one of these symbols --> ? anywhere in it.

How about words?

bestkeptsecret · January 13, 2016 6:14AM

Deeeds said:

These options clearly show the user activity desires of Apple. Interesting because there was a time when effort went into surfacing functionality of genuine benefit to ease of user experience, and operational rapidity. Previously one might even expect some focus on user joy. Now there's a peculiar fascination with extraction. Is "Redeem" really the second most common operation in the AppStore and Apple Music? Or even in the top ten most likely user behaviours?

Maybe there are enough iTunes Gift Cards being sold to warrant the shortcut?

Bharadws · January 13, 2016 8:45AM

For settings, Mobile data will be a good shortcut..

mac fan · January 13, 2016 7:25PM

bestkeptsecret said:
Maybe there are enough iTunes Gift Cards being sold to warrant the shortcut?

I think that's a strong likelihood. One of the most important functions of any "store" is to facilitate a sale. This is good for the customer as well as the seller.

The only way I know to redeem a card in the App Store is:

1) Open the App Store app
2) Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Featured (Featured is the default if the App Store isn't already opened in background)
3) Scroll to the very bottom of the page
4) Select Redeem

I redeem gift cards from time to time, but I don't always remember where I found Redeem. Maybe I should invest in Ginkgo Biloba, study flash cards, or applaud Apple for making this easier and a benefit for the both of us.

Redeeming a card in iTunes is a little easier- for 2) you can select Music, Movies, or TV Shows at the bottom of the page. And as mentioned earlier, the voucher has already been paid. It would be to Apple slight advantage if they were, like gym memberships, purchased but seldom used. That Apple put it in the second position means it's a reminder or advertising ploy may be correct. Who cares. Most of us aren't going to spend money because we saw it on a menu. When we are looking for an gift, maybe this works to prompt us to give a card. What a conspiracy!

So you get or give someone a card and and use 3D touch to select Redeem without having to open the app first. That seems like a very practical win-win to me, and a natural for 3D Touch.

Inside iOS 9.3: Apple's native apps gain new 3D Touch shortcuts on iPhone 6s

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