The fall flagship Windows Phone, currently codenamed "McLaren" will reportedly feature 3D Touch, which would allow users to control the phone using gestures. These gestures will include "scrolling and flipping," allowing the user to navigate their Windows Phone without actually touching the screen.
Microsoft reportedly originally planned 3D Touch for release with Windows Phone 8.1. However, the launch was pushed back to a later update within the year.
3D Touch, also known as Real Motion, will use several sensors on the phone to detect the gestures of the user. It will enable features such as answering a call by raising the phone to your ear, turning on the speakerphone by setting down the phone on the table, and hanging up on a call by putting your phone back into your pocket.
3D Touch phones will also be using several hardware sensors to mute devices when the user's hand is used to cover it, or when the phone is held to the user's chest. Alerts, meanwhile, can be dismissed by waving a hand over the front of the phone's screen.
3D Touch phones may also use the grip of the user on the phone to input commands. If the phone detects that the user that is lying down on the bed, the orientation lock is turned on so that the screen is kept at the right position. Users will also be able to input commands using the sides of the phone, such as zooming in with the phone's camera by sliding your fingers along the sides. Even the function of turning the phone on can be done by gripping it in the user's hands, eliminating the need for a power button and further simplifying the device.
In addition to OS navigation, 3D touch will also feature several UX changes to Windows Phones. A new MixView will allow users to hover their finger over a Live Tile and tap in the air without needing to the touch the screen. The selected Tile will "explode" into several smaller tiles that are relevant to the app, such as messaging and phone tiles appearing as a user accesses the Facebook tile for quick communication.
The ease of use of Microsoft's 3D Touch system will be its most crucial point to make its mark on a market that will soon see Amazon release a smartphone with similar 3D features.
"McLaren," which had the previous codename of "Goldfinger," will reportedly be released in November with carriers including Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile already signed up to carry it. "McLaren" is viewed as the successor to the Nokia Lumia 1020, with a similar hump at the back for a high-end camera.
