News: Instagram Brings iPhone's 3D Touch to Android

I had the chance to play around with an iPhone 6s this past weekend, and I have to say, I found the new 3D Touch feature to be pretty intriguing. It's still only partially implemented, but when it does work, it works quite well—you simply press a bit harder on certain elements like image thumbnails, then instead of opening in a full-fledged view, you'll see a pop-up preview that fades away as soon as you let go of the screen.

• Don't Miss: How to Get Apple's 3D Touch Feature on Android

Instagram has been using this new feature on Apple devices for the past few months, but just today, they've finally found a way to implement it on Android phones and tablets. It works almost exactly the same as it does on the iPhone, and it's quite handy, too—so if you're interested, I'll show you how to try it out below.

Getting the New Feature

There are two main requirements for using this new feature. First, you'll have to be running the latest release of the Instagram app for Android, which is version 7.13.0. If the update isn't available to you on the Play Store just yet, it can be sideloaded from APKMirror at this link.

Secondly, it seems that Instagram has to flip a switch on your account, so to speak. That means some users will already have access to the new "3D Touch" feature just by installing the update, but other users may have to wait on a server-side change, which could come at any time.

Using the New Feature

Since today's Android phones don't have the necessary hardware to detect the degree of force behind a screen touch, this new Instagram feature isn't actually using 3D Touch. Instead, it relies on the tried and true long-press gesture, where you simply touch and hold an element on the screen.

While viewing search results or any grid view of photos in the Instagram app, simply press and hold any thumbnail image to activate the new feature. Almost instantly, the image will pop up in a larger preview, where you can slide your finger down to the like or share buttons to perform quick actions. As soon as you let go of the screen, though, the image will fade away right back into the grid view.

Has using this new Instagram feature made you want the full suite of 3D Touch features on Android? Let us know in the comment section below, or drop us a line on Android Hacks' Facebook or Twitter, or on Gadget Hacks' Facebook, Google+, or Twitter.