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Squillace

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 22, 2016
400
494
Switzerland
Hi,

So a few days ago I was playing around with my iPhone 7 Plus and I "think" I noticed some kind of interface effect I didn't notice or heard about before. Let me explain: when you press an app icon on SpringBoard to bring up the 3D Touch options, there's this little taptic feedback. Nothing new here, everybody knows it.

The thing is... I noticed that the vibration intensity is gradually stronger in the bottom rows of icons. The feedback for the four top row icons is pretty weak, the 2nd raw is a little less weak, the 3d row is a bit stronger, and it goes on like this until the last one, the dock, which provides the strongest feedback.

At first I thought it was a bug but after several reboots this impression is still present, so maybe it's a subtle feature introduced by Apple?

I honestly can't say since when this is present. My iPhone is up to date with iOS 10.2 and I noticed it on this version.

Is it just me or are you guys feeling the same?


Cheers!
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
It took me a bit of paying around to notice some differences. I think it could just be more due the placement of pressure and finger(s)/hand(s) than anything else. The taptic engine is at the bottom if I recall correctly, so as you are pressing on top your fingers and hands are higher up and the pressure from your press is higher and further from the taptic engine, while when you are pressing closer to the bottom you are much closer to it if not almost on top of it.
 
Last edited:

Squillace

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 22, 2016
400
494
Switzerland
I understand that the Taptic Engine is located on the bottom and this could be the answer. However, when you touch the screen you are not touching the engine itself. The pressure on the screen activates it electronically, what difference does it make if it's at the top or at the bottom?

I also just tried peek & pop in my mails list and the vibration is again much stronger on the bottom, so it kinda confirms this theory. I just don't get why, you know... "technically".

Thanks for your answers, anyway!
 

Sunny1990

Suspended
Feb 13, 2015
1,660
5,196
I am experiencing this from the first day i got my iPhone 6S Plus(almost one and half year ago)but i know the reason so nothing ordinary
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,495
Yup, the Taptic Engine's haptic motor is on the bottom left so that's where feedback is strongest.

Interestingly enough, I never noticed the differences in vibration strength from the bottom of the screen to the top of the screen with the Haptic engine.
 

Djilkosh

macrumors regular
Dec 3, 2016
245
226
Serbia
Is it just me or they fixed this "issue" in 10.2.1

Now it's the same haptic feedback on top icons and on bottom icons.
 

Squillace

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 22, 2016
400
494
Switzerland
I do not confirm that. After reading your post a few hours ago I tried and it looked like you were right. But now I tried again and I feel it softer on top. On 10.2.1 of course.
 
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