Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) devoted considerable attention at its iPhone 6s and 6s Plus launch event last week to 3D Touch, a widely expected new way of using apps -- and even accessing functions without going directly inside an app -- that could pose both opportunities and challenges for indie developers who choose to exploit it. In the demos during the Sept. 9 event, Apple exec Craig Federighi said new gestures called "Peek" and "Pop" will let iPhone 6s users go straight into their favorite features and access contextual menus, while "Pop" will take them straight into specific areas of an app. The smartphone is designed to sense a tap, a light press and a deep press, meanwhile, depending on how much pressure you put on the screen. Developers think that the technology could open new layers of gameplay possibilities for mobile games and could be used to support quick menus for things like settings and level selection. For more on how 3D Touch could change mobile games, check out this FierceDeveloper special report.
