Google brings back ‘3D Touch’ feature in Android 7.1′

Google is bringing the Launcher Shortcuts feature, which is reminiscent of the 3D Touch application in iOS, back to Android 7.1 The search giant put Launcher Shortcuts in the previews of Android 7.0, but removed the feature before its release.

The Android Police site discovered references to Launcher Shortcuts in ten Google apps, including Gmail, Maps, Photos, Calendar and Search. Launcher Shortcuts allow apps to create shortcuts for certain actions. How it will work in practice is still unknown. This can be done, for example, by pressing hard on a pressure-sensitive screen, as is possible in iOS, by long pressing an icon or by swiping up over an icon.

For example, Google Maps can start the navigation function directly from the home screen and set the address ‘Home’ or ‘Work’ with a shortcut. In addition, with a shortcut in Calendar, users can immediately start creating a new calendar item.

Launcher Shortcuts has support in ten Google apps and according to Android Police it is striking that before the release of a function so many Google apps already support it.

Google will probably present Android 7.1 together with the Pixel phones. The company has planned an event for October 4 where that may happen. The Pixel phones probably have an ip53 rating for water and dust resistance, reports the same Android Police. As a result, they are hardly or not at all resistant to water. HTC is the suspected manufacturer of the Pixel phones, which get screens of 5″ and 5.5″ and run on a Snapdragon 821-soc.