• by Ben Frederick  @mp_benfred, September 25, 2015

3D Touch on the new series of iPhones, which came out today, may have unforeseen consequences for mobile email marketers.

The new pressure sensors on the iPhone 6s enable two new “gestures” for the iPhone series: peek and pop. Peek allows users to preview content with a light touch, while a heavier press will “pop” users into whatever content they were previewing.

Simon Farthing, head of consultancy at Profusion, a data science consultancy, says: “The window of opportunity for email marketers to engage and interest consumers is now even smaller. Failing to put captivating copy or imagery in the preview will severely reduce how effective a campaign is.”

Previews, he says, won’t necessarily count as an open for analytics purposes. That's why it’s crucial that marketers weight subject lines, opening copy and vibrant images that are preview-compatible even more heavily than they were before. That imagery can then be tracked for views through analytics.

Email is still a powerhouse in the marketing channel mix, although it is perhaps not as new and exciting as other formats.

As the global population transitions to a mobile-first/only/multi-device level of interaction with the digital realm, marketers need to be there to meet them.

“Put simply, the iPhone 6s 3D Touch feature will force email marketers and brands to raise their game. … The margin of error for marketers is now much smaller,” says Farthing.