California, US (BBN)-Apple has reportedly started production of a new generation of iPhones featuring Force Touch, the haptic feedback feature that was introduced this year in the Apple Watch along with the new MacBook.
According to a report by Bloomberg, people familiar with the matter stated that Apple’s newest iPhones, in the same 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch versions as the current iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices will have a similar exterior design. Also, volume manufacturing is scheduled to ramp up as soon as next month, they further added.
The Force Touch technology lets the device detect varying levels of input pressure by deploying electrodes around its screen. For example, in the Apple Watch, electrodes are embedded around the flexible OLED display that help detect the deformation caused by a press/tap/swipe. This force is then translated to operations by adding an extra layer of control to multitouch system.
According to the report, sources close to Bloomberg said that they are now expecting any serious glitches to the final assembly of the new phones but there is chance that supply chain problems could occur if a significant portion of the new Force Touch-enabled screens don’t pass quality assurance testing.
A report by VentureBeat points out that the end result could be the reduction of clutter in iOS. Also, a function that was once activated by a button might instead be activated by a Force Touch, so the button will no longer be needed, added the report.
A previous report pointed out that Apple had plans to incorporate the Force Touch technology in its next smartphone, allegedly the iPhone 6s. Recently, a report revealed that Apple’s next iPhone, assuming it will be accompanied by a Plus version, will come with 2GB RAM and Apple SIM compatibility.
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