Android N will feature support for pressure-sensitive screen technology, it’s been confirmed.
Last week Google rolled out its second Android N developer preview. One of the biggest new features was something called ‘launcher shortcuts,’ which allow you to jump straight to specific app functions from the homescreen using certain unspecified ‘gestures’.
Many pointed out that this, in conjunction with Android N’s updated support documentation, sounded a lot like a function Apple had added to iOS 9. Of course, that iOS function requires the iPhone 6S or iPhone 6S Plus with their pressure-sensitive 3D Touch displays to operate.
Sure enough, The Verge claims to have confirmed with Google that Android N will feature support for pressure-sensitive displays.
Interestingly, Google claims that its was the Android manufacturers themselves who requested Google to implement this pressure-sensitive screen support in the core OS. It’s a sensible request, as it will avoid fragmentation with a bunch of competing standards.
Related: Best Android phones 2016
It would also seem to offer an explanation as to why none of the early-2016 flagship Android phones have attempted to emulate Apple’s 3D Touch function. When news of the iPhone 6S’s touch-sensitive display hit last year, many assumed that the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S7, LG G5, and HTC 10 would follow suit.
Of course, it also means that we’re some way away from the widespread Android adoption of pressure-sensitive screen technology. Expect the next Nexus phone to mark the feature’s debut at the end of the year, followed by the early-2017 flagship crowd.
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Are you holding out for a pressure-sensitive Android 7.0 phone, or is it just a gimmick feature? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
