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See Android N’s 3D Touch demoed on one of the most popular launcher apps

Published Apr 18th, 2016 7:45AM EDT
Android N 3D Touch Nova Launcher

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One of the hidden features inside the second Android N Developer Preview release is native support for 3D Touch – and implicit confirmation that the iPhone 6s’ best feature is going to be supported on Android device. Since its discovery, a new video emerged showing how 3D Touch could work on Android, with the help of one of the most popular launchers in the Android universe, Nova Launcher.

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Detailed by Phandroid a few days ago, Android’s 3D Touch is yet to have an official marketing name from Google. It’s also unclear whether the new feature would work only on devices that have pressure-sensitive displays, or on any Android handset and tablet running a version of Android N.

For the purpose of this video demonstration, Android N’s 3D Touch was deployed inside Nova Launcher on a device that doesn’t have a pressure sensitive screen.

As you can see from the short video below, 3D Touch on Android might be similar to the iOS version, at least when it comes to deploying app shortcuts that would be available on the screen, when performing a specific gesture on an app icon. The resulting action is different than long-pressing on an application’s icon, and can be triggered by a variety of gestures, not just pressure-sensitive ones. It’s likely that the default gesture will be related to pressing on the display with some force.

The video showing Android N’s 3D Touch in action on Nova Launcher follows below. In this case, the shortcut menu is triggered by a swipe down on the app’s icon.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.