If you’re unaware of what haptics are, they are the mechanical vibrations or motions that your device does to simulate motion or movement. It’s used in touchscreens and in gaming devices to help you feel that movement. The more and more “virtual” we go with our technology, the more it seems necessary. But not everyone likes haptics. We asked our writers, “Do you use haptics on your smartphone?”
Our Opinion
Trevor says he uses haptics as it’s “super hard for me not to have some sort of notifications while typing.” He notes he’s from the “old school of actual keys” such as phones with slide-open keyboards and Blackberry. Haptics helped him ease into the transition of a touchscreen.
Ayo is exactly the opposite. He explains, “I turn it off immediately when setting up a new device because I find it very distracting.” Derrik agrees wholeheartedly, saying he usually disables it “because it’s annoying.”
Christopher actually wrote an article recently about haptic feedback and how the technology of it is evolving. While he’s a gaming expert, he took a look at it both outside and inside the gaming space. Still, he explains “I do ind the version we’re used to primitive, though, and look forward to advancements in the technology.” In the current state of haptics, he still misses mini physical keyboards.
Phil says he wouldn’t use haptics “even if my elderly about-to-be-replaced iPhone 4S used it.” He had the option to jailbreak his phone to add an app that would give him haptics but “respectfully declined.” He explains it bugs him.
Simon is not a big fan either. He respects that others love it, as it’s “solid feedback from the phone to the user that it has registered a keypress.” But for his own needs, he says, “I find it actually distracts me from my typing more than it helps.” He adds he feels the same about audio cues that are used when a key is pressed.
I never really thought about haptics too much before getting my iPhone 7. There is no mechanical home button on the phone. There’s a button there, but it doesn’t really do anything physically when it’s depressed. Haptics make you feel like you’re pressing an actual button. In addition it’s used for the Touch ID to sign in to the phone. While I hadn’t thought about it much before, now I wouldn’t want to do without it.
Your Opinion
What are your feelings about haptics? Do you use them on your smartphone? Do you turn them off immediately when setting up your phone? Or do you need that feedback because you miss having actual keys? Do you use haptics on your smartphone? Join our conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments.
Laura has spent nearly 20 years writing news, reviews, and op-eds, with more than 10 of those years as an editor as well. She has exclusively used Apple products for the past three decades. In addition to writing and editing at MTE, she also runs the site’s sponsored review program.
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