Reports now suggest that Apple has started production of its next generation iPhone featuring Force Touch, a new feature introduced with the Apple Watch and new MacBook Pro that can sense pressure being put on a device which then reacts to the intensity of touch.
The confirmation came via a report by Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter and stated that “volume manufacturing is scheduled to ramp up as soon as next month.” The upcoming iPhones will stick with the same last year’s design and 4.7-5.5 inch form factors.
“Apple is bringing Force Touch, first unveiled for the Apple Watch and the newest MacBook model, to the iPhone at least two years after it started working with suppliers to perfect the pressure-sensitive displays,” Bloomberg reporter Tim Culpan confirmed.
As of now, there’s no confirmation whether the upcoming iPhones will get the 6S moniker, Apple could even directly hop onto iPhone 7, but that seems highly unlikely as the ‘S’ series is usually an upgrade over its predecessor. For instance, the iPhone 5S was an upgrade to the iPhone 5 which got the new Touch ID feature, similarly the 4S was an upgrade to the iPhone 4 with the introduction of Siri.
Earlier reports also suggested that next-gen iPhones might get cameras that can rival images taken by a high-end DSLR cameras. The Cupertino giant back in April acquired Israel-based LinX Imaging, known for its advanced micro camera technology. Cameras built by LinX are comparatively much smaller, and the company has been heavily investing in developing cameras for smartphones, tablets and other handhelds that can deliver DSLR image quality. Also, reports also indicate that Apple might bump the camera unit from 8MP to 12MP.
Just like previous iPhone launches, we can expect Apple to announce new iPhones in September. Though how efficiently will the company be able to produce these Force Touch screens will play a big part in the availability of upcoming iPhones.
Moreover, how Apple integrates Force Touch with iOS which seems to have a huge potential remains yet to seen. As we’re already aware, the company has already introduced the Force Touch feature in other products, and while it makes perfect sense for Apple to introduce the feature in its most popular product – the iPhone, there’s also significant risk involved. This might over complicate things for users, and since the Force Touch feature is relatively new and still evolving, it might turn out be a gimmick rather than being of any use.
