Microsoft’s next flagship Windows Phone will include Kinect-like 3D Touch controls

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Microsoft (Nokia) is working on a successor to the Lumia 1020, codenamed McLaren, that will pair a massive PureView camera on the back of the smartphone with a bunch of other sensors to provide a new range of interactive gesture controls — including Kinect-like finger movements above the screen, but also new “gestures” like automatically enabling speakerphone if you place your phone on the table, or muting the call if you place it against your chest. The phone is destined to launch in November in the US, and it probably won’t be a carrier exclusive.
This data comes from a variety of leaks, including Evleaks (which has a strong track record), The Verge, and WPCentral. According to their sources, Nokia has been working on a phone called McLaren. It will be the spiritual successor to the Lumia 1020, with a large PureView camera on the back (and the same bulge, too). Exact specifications aren’t known at this point, but a November launch means there’ll probably be a Snapdragon 801 or 805 SoC inside. The camera might get a small bump in megapixels, but it would probably make more sense to reduce the size of the sensor slightly (and thus the size of the bulge).
And then there’s all of the other sensors. According to the handful of sources, this tech — dubbed 3D Touch — has been in development for a few years. This means it probably uses Nokia’s own sensors/software — or something like Leap — rather than borrowing from Microsoft’s Kinect. (Or who knows, maybe Nokia and Microsoft have been working closely together for longer than we thought.) The Verge is reporting that this technology will be exclusive to Microsoft’s (Nokia’s) own Windows Phones, leaving other OEMs out in the cold (at least initially).

Windows Phone 8.1

As you’d expect, 3D Touch allows you to interact with a Windows Phone by waving your fingers above the screen. Moving your finger down towards a tile will cause it to “explode” like the Zune MixView. Swiping your hand over the screen might dismiss alerts. There will be other sensors, too — apparently 3D Touch will let you use the sides of the phone, such as swiping back and forth to zoom in and out. 3D Touch will also let you hang up a call by putting your phone in your pocket, or enable speakerphone by placing it on a table. It isn’t clear if this will require new sensors, or if it can just be done with the normal gyros and accelerometers. Obviously the Windows Phone operating system will need to be updated to cater for all of this new functionality.
Microsoft is obviously hoping that 3D Touch will be enough of a differentiator that it will get people to invest in a flagship Lumia, rather than the Galaxy S5, HTC One M8, iPhone 6, or the upcoming Amazon phone (which will also have 3D features!) The Lumia 1020′s 41-megapixel camera made some waves, but users quickly found that a great camera is nothing without a capable OS and strong app ecosystem. Windows Phone 8.1 definitely takes a few more steps in the right direction — and maybe the addition of 3D Touch will be enough to push potential buyers over the edge.

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