Forget Apple’s 3D Touch, Microsoft is working on a Pre-Touch sensitive touchscreen

Our displays are usually the first point of interaction we have with our smartphones, so it’s no wonder that manufacturers are developing newer innovative technologies to make it an even more seamless process. While Apple’s 3D Touch seemed to be a sensation for everyone, Microsoft is cooking up something that is sure to be a complete game changer.What is even more astounding is the fact that the new tech known as “pre-touch sensing” won’t even involve users actually touching their screens. Working similar to Samsung’s Air View/ Air Gesture feature and stylus-equipped Note devices, Pre-Touch is designed to sense where you are planning to tap even before the actual tapping on the screen, even by the way you’re holding your device. While previous renditions of this type of technology used to make use of the front camera, Microsoft’s version makes use of the display itself.According to Microsoft, the self-capacitative touchscreen uses anticipatory techniques that detect a grip (whether it’s single-handed or held by two hands) as well as how fingers approach to adapt the interface. This means that if you’re playing a video on your screen, as soon as your fingers start moving towards the display, the control options will instantly appear. If for instance, you are holding your smartphone with both hands, the menu content will be displayed both on the left and right side of the screen. The menu items will be shown in the middle of the screen if you are gripping the phone with one hand and using the other to touch the screen. Finally, if its single-hand operation and you are using your thumb to control the playback, then the control options will be placed on just one side of the screen.The Pre-Touch tech makes your device more intuitive, by adding an improved sense of a user’s intent. Its anticipation of where your finger(s) will touch before you make the actual contact with the display, allows your handset to enhance its interpretation of where you intended to tap rather than where you actually touched. In addition, the feature is able to differentiate between double taps that are accidental and those that are on purpose. Based on the video Microsoft Research released by the company, the technology will allow your screen to better distinguish between a swipe and deliberate highlight motion.It is obvious that the Pre-Touch tech is much more intuitive and a softer approach to the interactions with our devices, compared to 3D Touch and Force Touch. Thus we can expect that more devices in the future will soon apply the Pre-Touch technology, as we are currently seeing the 3D Touch being adopted on Android.You can check out the demonstration video here, to know more about what the technology can do then share your thoughts with us in the comments below.