Clever Hacker Reproduces 3D Touch On Android Device =LINK=

How a Clever Hacker Reproduced 3D Touch on an Android Device

3D Touch is a feature that allows users to perform different actions depending on how hard they press on the screen of their iPhone. It was introduced by Apple in 2015 and has since been used for various purposes such as quick actions, peek and pop, and pressure-sensitive drawing. However, 3D Touch is not available on Android devices, which use capacitive touchscreens that can only detect the presence or absence of a finger, not the amount of force applied.

But that did not stop a clever hacker from finding a way to reproduce 3D Touch on an Android device. The hacker, who goes by the name of stacksmashing on YouTube, posted a video showing how he managed to hack a Samsung Galaxy S10e to enable 3D Touch functionality. The video has gone viral and has received over 1.2 million views as of this writing.

How did he do it

The hacker explained that he used a combination of hardware and software modifications to achieve his goal. He first opened up the Samsung Galaxy S10e and removed the battery, which exposed the pressure sensor that is normally used to measure the battery level. He then soldered wires to the pressure sensor and connected them to an Arduino Nano board, which is a small microcontroller that can run custom code. He also attached a Bluetooth module to the Arduino board, which allowed him to communicate with the phone wirelessly.

Next, he wrote a custom app for the phone that could receive data from the Arduino board via Bluetooth and translate it into touch events. He also modified the Android framework to add support for 3D Touch gestures, such as long-pressing and swiping with different levels of force. He then installed his app and framework on the phone and tested his 3D Touch implementation. He demonstrated that he could use 3D Touch to launch apps from the home screen, preview links in Chrome, and draw with varying line thicknesses in Sketchbook.

What are the limitations

While the hacker's 3D Touch hack is impressive and creative, it also has some limitations. First of all, it requires opening up the phone and soldering wires to the pressure sensor, which voids the warranty and poses a risk of damaging the device. Secondly, it relies on an external Arduino board and Bluetooth module, which add bulk and complexity to the phone. Thirdly, it only works on one specific model of phone, the Samsung Galaxy S10e, and may not be compatible with other Android devices. Lastly, it does not provide haptic feedback or vibration when using 3D Touch gestures, which reduces the user experience.

What are the implications

The hacker's 3D Touch hack shows that it is possible to reproduce 3D Touch on an Android device with some ingenuity and skill. It also challenges the notion that 3D Touch is an exclusive feature of iPhones and that Android devices are inferior in terms of touch technology. However, it also raises some questions about the usefulness and future of 3D Touch in general. Apple has reportedly removed 3D Touch from its newer models of iPhones, such as the iPhone XR and iPhone 11, and replaced it with Haptic Touch, which is a simpler version of 3D Touch that does not require force sensing. Some analysts have speculated that Apple may phase out 3D Touch entirely in favor of Haptic Touch or other alternatives. Moreover, some users have complained that 3D Touch is confusing, inconsistent, or hard to discover across different apps and contexts.

Therefore, it remains to be seen whether 3D Touch will become a mainstream feature of smartphones or a niche gimmick that will fade away over time. In any case, the hacker's 3D Touch hack is a remarkable feat of engineering and hacking that deserves recognition and applause. aa16f39245