Bloomberg reports this weekend that the Cupertino firm has already begun production of this year’s model of its top-selling smartphone, as it cites that Apple will soon incorporate the “Force Touch” technology first debuted with Apple Watch – into the iPhone’s display.
Apple describes “Force Touch” – a patented technology – as follows:
“Force Touch uses tiny electrodes around the flexible Retina display to distinguish between a light tap and a deep press, and trigger instant access to a range of contextually specific controls. With Force Touch, pressing firmly on the screen brings up additional controls in apps like Messages, Music, and Calendar. It also lets you select different watch faces, pause or end a workout, search an address in Maps, and more. Force Touch is the most significant new sensing capability since Multi‑Touch.”
“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,” the publication says.
Specifically, Bloomberg says that these new, next-generation displays – which will see Apple’s mobile software (iOS) react to user taps based on the force that is initially applied, are just the company’s latest move to “stay ahead of rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co.”
Expected to be available in both 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch form factors, (with production of both reported to have already begun), according to the report Apple is set to begin fully ramping up production of its new smartphones for their eventual public debut – this fall, next month.
Apple usually holds one of its special media events to introduce the next enhancements and advancements to the iPhone product line, around the September timeframe.