Even before Apple announced the iPhone SE, everyone sort of knew what to expect from the budget iPhone. The old iPhone 8 form factor — including the big bezels and Touch ID — with Apple's own A13 Bionic chip at a reasonable price. The good news is Apple delivered on that promise. The iPhone SE is a fantastic phone for its price point; however, there's something wonky going on with Haptic Touch and notifications on the new iPhone SE.
Ever since 3D Touch was first introduced on the iPhone 6s, every iPhone has been able to expand notifications from the lock screen using either 3D Touch or Haptic Touch. The new iPhone SE can't do this, despite being able to use Haptic Touch in every other instance — it's bizarre.
3D Touch vs. Haptic Touch
I was always a fan of 3D Touch, the feel of pressing the screen with a bit of pressure felt so satisfying, and I wish that Haptic Touch hadn't replaced it, but the features essential function the same way, so it was never a big deal.
What's weird about this whole situation is the way the iPhone 8 handles Haptic Touch and 3D Touch. Since the iPhone 8 has 3D Touch, you can go into settings and toggle the feature on and off. Interestingly enough, when 3D Touch is off on the iPhone 8, it also can't use Haptic Touch to expand notifications; however, when 3D Touch is on, it can expand notifications.
This tells me that there's something a little odd in the Haptic Touch software, and how it's processing that one specific interaction. Apparently, the software works as intended, though, so perhaps it's just a weird limitation on from the old form factor of the iPhone 8 and iPhone SE, we might never know.
Not a deal breaker but a weird misstep
Of course, the new iPhone SE has Haptic Touch — as everyone expected — but now it doesn't work the same way as it does on the other iPhones.
When you buy an iPhone SE, you expect certain compromises. You know you're not getting Face ID or an OLED screen, but you do expect the software to work the same. While I don't think this is a big enough dealbreaker to prevent most people from buying the iPhone SE (2020), it is a weird misstep for Apple, and I don't really understand it.
What do you think?
Is not being able to use Haptic Touch to expand notifications a dealbreaker for you? Let us know in the comments down below!
