Microsoft introduces the display with pre-Touch technology

Microsoft introduces technology Pre-Touch. The Microsoft Research Laboratory has come to the actual development of a technology for smartphone displays capable of anticipating the user’s movements.

In the month of September, Apple presented the 3D Touch technology with which the iPhone 6S is allowed to “react” in a different way depending on the pressure level of the finger on the screen. Microsoft has decided to go further and “take a gamble” by even designing the pre-Touch.

This new technology works with the same spirit or the same “philosophy”, if you prefer. And, in practice, it detects the approach of our finger even before it touches the screen. Technically, 3D Touch and Pre-Touch will work inversely. When the former reacts to higher pressure, the latter provides for contact.

On his Youtube channel, Microsoft’s research team highlights several possible applications of this new possibility. In fact, the video shows how the pre-Touch displays the buttons (pause, start, etc.) as soon as you approach the screen. This avoids having to touch the display to view the menu and, therefore, also a second time to pause a film. The position of the fingers is also taken into consideration. Depending on how you orient the camera – vertically or horizontally – the menus are displayed directly under your fingers.

Such a detection system is not entirely new. In fact, there have been some similar possibilities for a couple of years already. Just think of Samsung who integrated it into his Air View Galaxy S4. For its part, Sony had introduced prodromes of this technology on its own Xperia. In both cases, however, the features were limited. Microsoft, therefore, goes further and does so with more accurate interactions, such as the selection of text or the simultaneous use of several fingers. For example, if a phrase is highlighted, the “copy” and “paste” icons will automatically appear at the top of the display.

Unlike 3D Touch, Pre-Touch is under development and is not tied to an upcoming smartphone. It will therefore be subject to a possible test period. From the moment it comes to market, it can also be imagined that contactless and pressure-level technologies can coexist in a single device. This would certainly offer new opportunities for developers and users.

Street