Apple Pencil Hack Brings 3D Touch To The iPad Pro

Apple’s iPad Pro is ahead of the rest of the iOS curve in so many ways that it is perhaps disappointing that it doesn’t feature the same 3D Touch technology that the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus possess, or even the single-level pressure-sensitive Force Touch input that Apple Watch user enjoy. The reasons for the lack of 3D Touch are likely plenty, with the iPad Pro’s new Apple Pencil-loving large size screen likely to be at the top of the list. Whatever the reason, though, we still wish it was there.

So does iOS developer Hamza Sood, who has managed to make a rudimentary version of 3D Touch work just fine on an iPad Pro thanks to the magical world of jailbreaking. While the pressure being applied isn’t sensed by the screen itself, Sood has used the Apple Pencil and its array of sensors as a way to initiate 3D Touch.

ipad-pro-02

The developer has put together a short video showing what is possible with this setup, and although iOS doesn’t support 3D Touch on the iPad Pro at all, Sood’s video shows windows being peeked and popped on the iPad Pro’s screen by using the information gathered by the Apple Pencil. As the man points out himself, it doesn’t mean a great deal this minute, but the fact it’s even possible is interesting enough to us. You can watch the aforementioned video in the tweet embedded below. For any developers interested in replicating the process on their iPad Pros, Sood has also included a link to the GitHub project that made this possible.

https://twitter.com/hamzasood/status/668931560687693825″ target=”_blank

Apple’s iPad Pro launched internationally last week and has received modest praise since then. Stock shortages on important accessories such as the Apple Pencil haven’t helped, and time will tell whether or not initial iPad Pro sales have been smaller than expected thanks to those missing Apple Pencils.

With an iPad Pro 2 likely on the horizon at some point, what would you be willing to bet on it including some sort of 3D Touch support?

(Source: @hamzasood [Twitter])

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