3D Touch

A closer look at Activator’s new Application Shortcuts feature

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Earlier today, we reported that Ryan Petrich had updated his beta repo, and with it, the Activator beta for iOS 9. The update brought overall compatibility to iOS 9, but more interestingly, it brought about a new feature called Application Shortcuts.

In our previous post about the iOS 9 compatible Activator beta, we briefly touched on the new Application Shortcuts, but in this post, I'd like to dive in a little deeper to show you exactly what these puppies can do, and why they're so cool—even for older pre-iPhone 6s devices.

In a nutshell, Application Shortcuts let you access the shortcuts that are normally only available to 3D Touch capable iPhones on the Home screen, merging them with Activator gestures. The result is a super-cool feature that will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the iOS 9-enabled Activator.

RevealMenu is yet another tweak that brings 3D Touch-like functionality to older devices

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 13, 2018

There are now several tweaks that attempt to bring the iPhone 6s' flagship feature to older devices. The latest such tweak is called RevealMenu, and it contains one particular feature that makes it unique when compared to some of the other 3D Touch-esque tweaks that I've tried.

RevealMenu allows users to long-press on an icon to invoke a 3D Touch-like overlay menu, but it also allows you to slide your finger directly to the menu without lifting your finger off the screen. In my opinion, that single gesture is what makes 3D Touch's shortcut feature really shine. Many of the other 3D Touch-inspired tweaks didn't allow you to do that, and that's what makes RevealMenu worth checking out.

Forcy updated with haptic feedback and better 3D Touch emulation for older iPhones

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 12, 2018

Forcy, the jailbreak tweak that does its very best to emulate the 3D Touch experience on older iPhones, is now available with a few new anticipated features. Version 1.0.1 of Forcy brings a new preference panel, which allows users to configure the way the tweak works.

The initial version of Forcy featured no such preferences, in fact, after installation, there were no options for configuring the experience at all. With the new preference option, users can disable Forcy outright, toggle haptic feedback, and enable a swap invoke method that allows for a more true 3D Touch-esque feeling.

Forcy adds 3D Touch-inspired gestures to all iOS 9 devices

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Forcy is a brand new jailbreak tweak, one of the first newly created tweaks for the iOS 9 jailbreak, that allows you to enable 3D Touch-inspired gestures on any iOS 9 device. The gestures, which are impressively similar to what you'd find on 3D Touch-enabled devices like the iPhone 6s, allow you to take advantage of the Home screen app icon shortcuts made popular on Apple's most recently released iPhone hardware.

Forcy is available right now for free on Cydia's BigBoss repo. Have a look at our video walkthrough to see how it works.

New tweak lets older iPhone hardware mimic 3D Touch

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 12, 2018

A new jailbreak tweak called Force Touch Activator was recently released on Cydia's BigBoss repo, and it lets users on older hardware running iOS 8 mimic the 3D Touch effect that's headlining the launch of the iPhone 6s.

Real 3D Touch requires a pressure sensitive screen, which is a part of the new hardware found in the new iPhone 6s. Older hardware, like the iPhone 6, lacks the pressure sensitive screen, so jailbreak tweak developers have to look for unique ways to try to bring similar functionality to older devices.

I'll be honest and say that Force Touch Activator is pretty much nothing like 3D Touch—you don't have the nuanced sensitivity levels, you don't have haptic feedback, and most importantly, you lack a true pressure sensitive screen—but it's an interesting tweak for jailbreakers to try nonetheless. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough inside, and see for yourself.

Upcoming jailbreak tweak looks to bring 3D Touch-inspired features to older iPhones

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 10, 2015

If you don't plan on buying one of the new iPhones, but are intrigued by the iPhone 6s' hallmark 3D Touch feature, you might want to listen up. Popular jailbreak developer Elias Limneos is currently working on a 3D Touch-inspired jailbreak tweak.

Since 3D Touch requires special hardware, this obviously isn't real 3D Touch, but it emulates the 3D Touch feature by means of a long tap-and-hold gesture on the iPhone's screen. The tweak, which is entitled Touch 3D, appeared in preview form on a recently posted YouTube video. Check it out and let us know what you think...