According to sources that are familiar with the matter, Apple is planning to incorporate Force Touch technology into the next version of its iPhone, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Force Touch technology, which is used by the company's upcoming Apple Watch and new MacBook, uses sensors to be able to detect how hard a user presses on the screen, distinguishing between light taps and heavy presses.
The technology opens up more control options for users as different functions can be enabled. For example, a heavy press may bring up a menu, while a light tap will select one of the options on that menu.
According to the sources, the incorporation of Force Touch technology is being looked at as one of the new features that Apple will include in the next batch of its iPhones, which are set to be released later this year.
Apple is reportedly not going to change the display size for the iPhones, maintaining a 4.7-inch screen for the iPhone 6 and a 5.5-inch screen for the iPhone 6 Plus. In addition, the resolution for the screens will stay the same.
However, Apple is thinking about adding another color to the options available for the aluminum casing of the smartphones. The iPhones currently come in three different colors, namely gold, silver and space gray, and Apple is reportedly testing to add pink as another option.
A spokeswoman for Apple refused to comment on the rumors.
Apple news website Apple Insider already previously revealed the plans of including Force Touch in the upcoming iPhones, in the same report that quashed the rumors that the next iPhones will feature dual-lens cameras.
Apple is calling Force Touch technology as "the most significant new sensing capability since Multi-Touch." It should not be confused with haptic feedback. While Force Touch is an input system for users, haptic feedback's vibrations are more of an output system that allows devices to communicate with the user over whether an option is being selected properly, for example.
The rumored changes to the iPhone come as Apple looks to follow up on the massive success of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. For the quarter ending Dec. 27, Apple reported that it was able to sell 74.5 million units of the smartphone, leading to the most profitable quarter for any United States company of all time.
The Wall Street Journal said that the new information regarding the new iPhones is from the suppliers of Apple. The company initiates testing of different designs and technologies with its suppliers before including them in their products.
Photo: Omar Jordan Fawahl | Flickr
