The History of Apple’s Haptics
From the Apple Watch to the MacBook Pro, Apple’s haptics lead the industry.
Haptic
Relating to the sense of touch, in particular relating to the perception and manipulation of objects using the senses of touch and proprioception.
Today, Apple leads the industry when it comes to haptic feedback, but that wasn’t always the case.
Prior to 2014, Apple hadn’t ventured into haptics much, besides the ringtone vibrations in the iPhone.
Then, in late 2014, Apple introduced the Apple Watch, which included an Apple-designed Taptic Engine, capable of producing a tap-like sensation on your wrist.
The Taptic Engine came on when you got a notification or a phone call, and it also added physical feedback to certain actions on the watch.
With the Taptic Engine, the hardware and software of Apple Watch felt inseparable.
In early 2015, Apple reintroduced the MacBook with a multitude of new technologies. Among the better-received of these changes was the Force Touch Trackpad.
This trackpad was completely different from previous trackpads, in that it didn’t physically move. Instead, it used force sensors and a Taptic Engine to simulate a click, and “trick” your finger into thinking that the trackpad actually moved.
The effect is incredibly realistic, and if you haven’t tried a Force Touch Trackpad, I recommend trying one at the Apple Store (as soon as doing so is feasible again…)
Apple, after the success of the Taptic Engine in the Apple Watch and the MacBook, used it in the iPhone 6s in the fall of 2015.
In the iPhone, the Taptic Engine didn’t play quite as prominent a role as on the Watch, but it still served one similar purpose: augmenting digital interactions with physical feedback.
In this case, those digital interactions came in the form of 3D Touch.
New to the iPhone 6s, 3D Touch measured the pressure of your finger on the display, and offered contextual actions based on what you pressed on.
The Taptic Engine fired when you used 3D Touch to press on something, and it added a physical layer to the digital interaction. Haptic feedback played a major role in 3D Touch.
In later iPhones the Taptic Engine played a more prominent role. System toggles, animations, and picker wheels are all elements with haptic feedback.
Now, the Taptic Engine is used in more devices than ever, playing an integral part in the UI.
While I would love to see the Taptic Engine come to iPad somehow, I’m happy with the feedback it provides on the iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac today.
Thanks for reading!
