# Touch-Sensing Smartphone Apps The Virtual Touching Room Lets You Touch Your Friends Over the Phone By Sarah Dos Santos | Published 2013-09-06 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-touching-room References: [psfk](http://www.psfk.com/2013/09/virtual-touch-room.html) & [itunes.apple](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/touch-room/id689802194?mt=8) The Touch Room app made for [iPhone](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apollo-sessions) allows users to sign up and enter a virtual room where they can communicate by touching each other. Designed by GSP Beta Labs, the purpose of the app is to create a physical connection between friends who are in different locations. A user creates a room and invites as many friends as they would like. Different-colored touch points on the screen move around in real-time in accordance to whoever is touching it. When two fingertip points touch or connect, the iPhone will vibrate, thereby stimulating a virtual, but physical connection. Perhaps this is like an evolution of the [Facebook](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kinnect) “poke.” Other than that, the app has no other purpose but to provide comfort despite distance, which seems like a worthy cause to me. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.6/10 - Popularity: 4% | Activity: 37% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Media](https://www.trendhunter.com/media) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Virtual Touching:** Apps that create a physical connection through virtual technology. - **Remote Communication:** Apps and technologies that allow people to connect and communicate from different locations. - **Sensory Technology:** The use of technology to simulate the senses and create immersive experiences. ### Who This Affects Most - **Telecommunications:** Developing new applications for remote communication. - **Consumer Electronics:** Integrating sensory technology into consumer products like smartphones and wearables. - **Gaming:** Incorporating touch-sensing technology into video games and virtual reality experiences for a more immersive experience. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Gesture-Controlled Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spatial-touch.md) - [Touchscreen Thermometer Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/touchscreen-thermometer-apps.md) - [Tactile Bare-Hands Metaverse Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emerge.md) - [Touch-Reactive VR Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/presence-in-bed.md) - [Touch Message Wearables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bond-touch-4.md) - [Innovative Aerohaptic System](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aerohaptic.md) - [Interactive Tattoo Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/inkstory.md) - [Virtual Table Top Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tinytable.md) - [Scientifically Designed Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apollo-sessions.md)