Google’s next-generation Nexus smartphone will adopt the iPhone’s 3D Touch technology, according to an “insider” familiar with the company’s plans. It’s thought HTC will be tasked with building the device, and it should arrive later this year.

3D Touch is still seen by many (mostly those who are yet to use it) as a gimmick. But it’s not. As I described in an article for Cult of Mac, it delivers a new way to interact with touchscreens that genuinely makes sense and improves the user experience.

Helpful shortcuts on the home screen alone make a big difference, and they’re combined with shortcuts inside apps and Apple’s awesome “Peek & Pop” gestures.

I’m amazed Samsung didn’t rip off 3D Touch for the Galaxy S7 series as reported, but I’m still confident we’ll see a lot of pressure-sensitive smartphones in 2016. According to one report, one of those devices will be a new Nexus.

“According to an industry insider, many Chinese smartphone makers, like Xiaomi, Meizu, OPPO and Vivo are busy developing pressure sensitive displays for their smartphones,” claims GizmoChina. “That’s not all, even HTC made Nexus 2016 is expected to feature this tech.”

“Further, the insider adds that Google also plans to incorporate this feature as standard on Android.”

While we recommend taking this report with a pinch of salt for now, a Nexus with a pressure-sensitive display would be huge. It would mean that Google is baking 3D Touch-like gestures into stock Android, which would encourage third-party device makers to adopt them.

We’ll have to wait until Google refreshes its Nexus lineup this fall to see if there’s anything in these claims. We certainly hope it’s all true, but we definitely skeptical.

• SourceGizmoChina