Samsung Galaxy S8 could sport "3D Touch" feature

The rumors, as well as expectations, about Samsung's next flagship smartphone are starting to pile up, and the Galaxy S8 is starting to look like a mish-mash of features, not all of them exceptional. In this latest installment, sources are claiming that Samsung is looking into adding a pressure-sensitive display to the smartphone. In a nutshell, this would allow the Galaxy S8 to have a feature that is, perhaps, more popularly known as the Force Touch or 3D Touch on Apple's Apple Watch. iPhones., and even trackpads.

Most smartphone and tablet displays are only able to distinguish a limited number of gestures, like swipe, pinch, rotate, tap, and tap and hold. In all those cases, the touch controllers don't distinguish between a light press and a stronger, more forceful one. It was really either just a tap (or hold) or none at all.

In 2014, Apple revolutionized that scene by introducing what it then called Force Touch on the Apple Watch. Given the extremely limited screen real estate, Apple needed a way to have more gestures. With Force Touch, the screen could differentiate between varying levels of pressure, allowing for a new "hard press" action. Apple would later refine this technology in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 and rename it as 3D Touch.

Naturally, some Android OEMs, particularly the Chinese ones, were quick to jump on that bandwagon and advertise "3D Touch" on their own smartphones. One such OEM is Huawei, who gets its pressure sensitive display from Samsung. Ironically, Samsung itself doesn't have such a device, but that might change with the Galaxy S8. Or at least that is the future painted by these sources.

Of course, there might be a problem for Samsung should it choose to take that path. So far, Apple has ignored other manufacturers that use and advertise that feature, perhaps thinking them too small a fry to waste time on. Samsung, however, is a much bigger fish and is particularly susceptible to lawsuits these days and Apple could very well slap Samsung again with one over this particular feature.

VIA: The Investor