Google delays support for Android tech mimicking Apple's 3D Touch

AppleInsider · May 12, 2016 3:33PM

Google has reportedly interally delayed its own equivalent of 3D Touch, the pressure-sensitive Apple technology that allows iPhone 6s and 6s Plus owners to take shortcuts through iOS apps.

Although the second preview version of Android N came with documentaion suggesting the possibility of such a feature, it won't be in the initial N release, sources explained to Re/code on Thursday. The feature is instead expected to be in a later Android update, though possibly just a maintenance release, meaning Android device owners wouldn't have to wait a full year after N's launch, which should happen later in 2016.

Currently very few Android phones use pressure-sensitive screens, since without default operating system support, apps have to be custom-tailored to each device's technology.

Indeed, 3D Touch is still a relatively modestly-supported feature in iOS apps, even if support has been growing since the technology first debuted in September of 2015. The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are the only devices that support it, despite Apple launching three new iPad models and the iPhone SE.

More news about Google's plans could come from its I/O developers conference, which is scheduled for May 18 through 20. There the company is likely to show off several new products, if not its rumored Amazon Echo competitor.

ericthehalfbee · May 12, 2016 4:01PM

But...but....but...the Android "software engineers" have been claiming all along that Android supports pressure sensitive displays since day one. Therefore there can't be any delay since the feature is already there.

gatorguy · May 12, 2016 4:08PM

ericthehalfbee said:

But...but....but...the Android "software engineers" have been claiming all along that Android supports pressure sensitive displays since day one. Therefore there can't be any delay since the feature is already there.

You might be conflating things.

"getPressure() API has been available since API 1 (which was introduced with Android 1.0). In other words, it’s likely that Android has had the ability to use force touch since the very beginning. Looking at the history, API Level 5 added to the original implementation of getPressure() which implies that it because “useful” in API Level 5, whereas it appears to have been only “stubbed out” in API Level 1."

So pressure sensitive API's since version 1 of Android?: Yes
Force-Touchy like feature? Apparently delayed if the article is correct.

isteelers · May 12, 2016 4:15PM

The way everyone here talks about 3D Touch, being a worthless gimmick makes me wonder why Google would bother including it in Android at all.

gatorguy · May 12, 2016 4:18PM

isteelers said:

The way everyone here talks about 3D Touch, being a worthless gimmick makes me wonder why Google would bother including it in Android at all.

Copycat Reflex Syndrome?

foggyhill · May 12, 2016 5:14PM

Tittle fact they don,t control the he makes this a bitch to get right... It's mimicking all right, not the real thing. Apple should press on to as many of these things as possible until fan droids crack under the weight of delusion

ericthehalfbee · May 12, 2016 5:16PM

gatorguy said:

ericthehalfbee said:

But...but....but...the Android "software engineers" have been claiming all along that Android supports pressure sensitive displays since day one. Therefore there can't be any delay since the feature is already there.

You might be conflating things.

"getPressure() API has been available since API 1 (which was introduced with Android 1.0). In other words, it’s likely that Android has had the ability to use force touch since the very beginning. Looking at the history, API Level 5 added to the original implementation of getPressure() which implies that it because “useful” in API Level 5, whereas it appears to have been only “stubbed out” in API Level 1."

So pressure sensitive API's since version 1 of Android?: Yes
Force-Touchy like feature? Apparently delayed if the article is correct.

No, just making fun of all the Android "experts" you see online. Hence the reason I put "software engineer" in quotes in my original post. They are the epitome of the old saying "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing." Goes along with those idiots downloading those example Android Apps that measure the force of a touch but are relying on an increase in your finger size as it presses harder, and then making the wild conclusion that Android has had the ability to measure pressure and therefore predates the iOS version.

There's a lot more to implementing 3D Touch than some outdated pressure API from back in the era of resistive touchscreens.

suddenly newton · May 12, 2016 5:22PM

gatorguy said:

ericthehalfbee said:

But...but....but...the Android "software engineers" have been claiming all along that Android supports pressure sensitive displays since day one. Therefore there can't be any delay since the feature is already there.

You might be conflating things.

"getPressure() API has been available since API 1 (which was introduced with Android 1.0). In other words, it’s likely that Android has had the ability to use force touch since the very beginning. Looking at the history, API Level 5 added to the original implementation of getPressure() which implies that it because “useful” in API Level 5, whereas it appears to have been only “stubbed out” in API Level 1."

So pressure sensitive API's since version 1 of Android?: Yes
Force-Touchy like feature? Apparently delayed if the article is correct.

LOL. An aborted feature that never got used doesn't count. I mean I've started to learn to play the guitar, but quit after 3 lessons. Does that make me a rock star?

jkichline · May 12, 2016 5:27PM

gatorguy said:

ericthehalfbee said:

But...but....but...the Android "software engineers" have been claiming all along that Android supports pressure sensitive displays since day one. Therefore there can't be any delay since the feature is already there.

You might be conflating things.

"getPressure() API has been available since API 1 (which was introduced with Android 1.0). In other words, it’s likely that Android has had the ability to use force touch since the very beginning. Looking at the history, API Level 5 added to the original implementation of getPressure() which implies that it because “useful” in API Level 5, whereas it appears to have been only “stubbed out” in API Level 1."

So pressure sensitive API's since version 1 of Android?: Yes
Force-Touchy like feature? Apparently delayed if the article is correct.

Actually, iOS had this "feature" too, but in a private API. Basically it tries to approximate how hard you've pressed the screen based on the size of the touch points. However, it's an approximation and was used to improve the accuracy of the touch event in iOS instead of being available to developers.

3D Touch is a different technology that can accurately capture pressure on the screen on the Z-axis.

foggyhill · May 12, 2016 5:49PM

ericthehalfbee said:

gatorguy said:

You might be conflating things.

"getPressure() API has been available since API 1 (which was introduced with Android 1.0). In other words, it’s likely that Android has had the ability to use force touch since the very beginning. Looking at the history, API Level 5 added to the original implementation of getPressure() which implies that it because “useful” in API Level 5, whereas it appears to have been only “stubbed out” in API Level 1."

So pressure sensitive API's since version 1 of Android?: Yes
Force-Touchy like feature? Apparently delayed if the article is correct.

No, just making fun of all the Android "experts" you see online. Hence the reason I put "software engineer" in quotes in my original post. They are the epitome of the old saying "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing." Goes along with those idiots downloading those example Android Apps that measure the force of a touch but are relying on an increase in your finger size as it presses harder, and then making the wild conclusion that Android has had the ability to measure pressure and therefore predates the iOS version.

There's a lot more to implementing 3D Touch than some outdated pressure API from back in the era of resistive touchscreens.

put gator guy in those pseudo expert since 99% he puts down seems to come googling around

if you.re covering more of the screen, you may have pressure or a finger that rolled over or many different other reasons for that happening.

As, for calibration... How would you even know your applying x Newton? You can do a very approximative relative calibration at best and good luck replicating the exact "pressure" you did the day before.

Also, even if you could sort of calibrate it; covering more of the screen maybe means you have a fat finger, a weirdly shaped finger, your finger angle changes, or 20 different factors. There is a reason this is not used for Ui in android, it's a total sham.

gatorguy · May 12, 2016 6:02PM

foggyhill said:

ericthehalfbee said:

gatorguy said:

You might be conflating things.

"getPressure() API has been available since API 1 (which was introduced with Android 1.0). In other words, it’s likely that Android has had the ability to use force touch since the very beginning. Looking at the history, API Level 5 added to the original implementation of getPressure() which implies that it because “useful” in API Level 5, whereas it appears to have been only “stubbed out” in API Level 1."

So pressure sensitive API's since version 1 of Android?: Yes
Force-Touchy like feature? Apparently delayed if the article is correct.

No, just making fun of all the Android "experts" you see online. Hence the reason I put "software engineer" in quotes in my original post. They are the epitome of the old saying "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing." Goes along with those idiots downloading those example Android Apps that measure the force of a touch but are relying on an increase in your finger size as it presses harder, and then making the wild conclusion that Android has had the ability to measure pressure and therefore predates the iOS version.

There's a lot more to implementing 3D Touch than some outdated pressure API from back in the era of resistive touchscreens.

put gator guy in those pseudo expert since 99% he puts down seems to come googling around

Google is amazingly helpful isn't it? And fast! No surprise really why they have so much market share in search. It's the results, silly...

wood1208 · May 12, 2016 6:15PM

Come on Google. Coping shouldn't take additional whole year. Ask Samsung as it has been copying Apple for a long time and lot faster. .

sflocal · May 12, 2016 6:49PM

gatorguy said:

ericthehalfbee said:

But...but....but...the Android "software engineers" have been claiming all along that Android supports pressure sensitive displays since day one. Therefore there can't be any delay since the feature is already there.

You might be conflating things.

"getPressure() API has been available since API 1 (which was introduced with Android 1.0). In other words, it’s likely that Android has had the ability to use force touch since the very beginning. Looking at the history, API Level 5 added to the original implementation of getPressure() which implies that it because “useful” in API Level 5, whereas it appears to have been only “stubbed out” in API Level 1."

So pressure sensitive API's since version 1 of Android?: Yes
Force-Touchy like feature? Apparently delayed if the article is correct.

Yeah... I found the code for their getPressure() API. Here it is:

function getPressure() {

// insert code here

}

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume it's just a temporary placeholder.

gatorguy · May 12, 2016 6:54PM

sflocal said:

gatorguy said:

ericthehalfbee said:

But...but....but...the Android "software engineers" have been claiming all along that Android supports pressure sensitive displays since day one. Therefore there can't be any delay since the feature is already there.

You might be conflating things.

"getPressure() API has been available since API 1 (which was introduced with Android 1.0). In other words, it’s likely that Android has had the ability to use force touch since the very beginning. Looking at the history, API Level 5 added to the original implementation of getPressure() which implies that it because “useful” in API Level 5, whereas it appears to have been only “stubbed out” in API Level 1."

So pressure sensitive API's since version 1 of Android?: Yes
Force-Touchy like feature? Apparently delayed if the article is correct.

Yeah... I found the code for their getPressure() API. Here it is:

function getPressure() {

// insert code here

}

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume it's just a temporary placeholder.

I think that's what the statement was indicating, at least the way I read it. It was API Level5 (Android 2.x) before it was much more than a placeholder. In any event if you're searching for detail on it I think you need to add "int" between the brackets.

EDIT: If you're interested in the intimate details then this page should help.
http://developer.android.com/reference/android/view/MotionEvent.html#getPressure(int)

Herbivore2 · May 12, 2016 7:14PM

Google is about to be hammered for it's inappropriate use of Oracles JDK. Perhaps removing the offending code and forking OpenJDK is not going so well for them.

Not surprising that there will be a delay in their implementation of force touch.

Another juvenile attempt by Google in saying that their Android OS is better because it can do more things. They just don't say that those things are poorly implemented and in many cases unusable.

I pay for my gas at Exxon stations using Apple Pay. Fast and convenient. There is no Android Pay.

Google has a long way to go. Unlikely that they will ever catch up.

I don't use their search engine at all and find their responses interesting when I click a YouTube video linked from a search engine different from Google. I won't use the search field even from within YouTube.

With Amazon's upcoming user uploaded video service, I won't even have to use YouTube and can abandon all of Google's services all together. It will be bliss.

foggyhill · May 12, 2016 7:21PM

sflocal said:

gatorguy said:

You might be conflating things.

"getPressure() API has been available since API 1 (which was introduced with Android 1.0). In other words, it’s likely that Android has had the ability to use force touch since the very beginning. Looking at the history, API Level 5 added to the original implementation of getPressure() which implies that it because “useful” in API Level 5, whereas it appears to have been only “stubbed out” in API Level 1."

So pressure sensitive API's since version 1 of Android?: Yes
Force-Touchy like feature? Apparently delayed if the article is correct.

Yeah... I found the code for their getPressure() API. Here it is:

function getPressure() {

// insert code here

}

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume it's just a temporary placeholder.

So, Its existence is not even a sham; it's a Placebo :-).

That means that Gator Guy is using his "powers" to create:
1) Code on the fly that will do anything he just spouted... (magical!)
2) A skill smokescreen through semi-pro Googling (Google must be magical...)

gatorguy · May 12, 2016 7:32PM

foggyhill said:

sflocal said:

gatorguy said:

You might be conflating things.

"getPressure() API has been available since API 1 (which was introduced with Android 1.0). In other words, it’s likely that Android has had the ability to use force touch since the very beginning. Looking at the history, API Level 5 added to the original implementation of getPressure() which implies that it because “useful” in API Level 5, whereas it appears to have been only “stubbed out” in API Level 1."

So pressure sensitive API's since version 1 of Android?: Yes
Force-Touchy like feature? Apparently delayed if the article is correct.

Yeah... I found the code for their getPressure() API. Here it is:

function getPressure() {

// insert code here

}

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume it's just a temporary placeholder.

So, Its existence is not even a sham; it's a Placebo :-).

That means that Gator Guy is using his "powers" to create:
1) Code on the fly that will do anything he just spouted... (magical!)
2) A skill smokescreen through semi-pro Googling (Google must be magical...)

I WISH I could write code. I really do, altho it seems other than the better ones coders don't get much respect or pay anymore as I've seen from some comments. Anyway if you'd follow the link I offered rather than formulating your next attempt to simply ridicule (for what purpose?) you might find it was more than a simple empty placeholder even in the original API1. What do you see, you're obviously much much smarter than I am, especially so when it comes to stuff like this.

techlover · May 12, 2016 9:47PM

gatorguy said:

foggyhill said:

So, Its existence is not even a sham; it's a Placebo :-).

That means that Gator Guy is using his "powers" to create:
1) Code on the fly that will do anything he just spouted... (magical!)
2) A skill smokescreen through semi-pro Googling (Google must be magical...)

I WISH I could write code. I really do, altho it seems other than the better ones coders don't get much respect or pay anymore as I've seen from some comments. Anyway if you'd follow the link I offered rather than formulating your next attempt to simply ridicule (for what purpose?) you might find it was more than a simple empty placeholder even in the original API1. What do you see, you're obviously much much smarter than I am, especially so when it comes to stuff like this.

Well she does have 3 or 4 masters degrees, and has been an engineer for 26 years. And it shows:

foggyhill said:

Tittle fact they don,t control the he makes this a bitch to get right... It's mimicking all right, not the real thing. Apple should press on to as many of these things as possible until fan droids crack under the weight of delusion

That being said, I am sure her French is far more superior than my own.

gatorguy · May 12, 2016 9:59PM

techlover said:

gatorguy said:

foggyhill said:

So, Its existence is not even a sham; it's a Placebo :-).

That means that Gator Guy is using his "powers" to create:
1) Code on the fly that will do anything he just spouted... (magical!)
2) A skill smokescreen through semi-pro Googling (Google must be magical...)

I WISH I could write code. I really do, altho it seems other than the better ones coders don't get much respect or pay anymore as I've seen from some comments. Anyway if you'd follow the link I offered rather than formulating your next attempt to simply ridicule (for what purpose?) you might find it was more than a simple empty placeholder even in the original API1. What do you see, you're obviously much much smarter than I am, especially so when it comes to stuff like this.

Well she does have 3 or 4 masters degrees, and has been an engineer for 26 years. And it shows:

That being said, I am sure her French is far more superior than my own.

cali · May 12, 2016 10:54PM

How many iKnockoffs will
support this though?

will probably take an additional year before we see this on the market.

foggyhill · May 13, 2016 1:24AM

You get contempt because of your one sided, unrelenting defense of Google, for god knows what reason, on this site
If there is a negative comment on Google, you will pop up like a clockwork bot to answer in a very predictable way.

This behavior, your desingeniousness, makes me think you're a very persistent troll.

In the end it doesn't make any difference to the crux of the argument; despite your claim, it is still a sham / placebo.

Google delays support for Android tech mimicking Apple's 3D Touch

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