Production ramps up of Force Touch panels for next iPhone
The idea that the next-generation iPhone will feature Force Touch technology has become more likely. Suppliers have stepped up shipments of Force Touch panels for the new smartphones, according to DigiTimes.
The report says that supply chains began delivering the component in small quantities in June, and began ramping up shipments in July, according to DigiTimes’ supply sources. DigiTimes also notes that TPK had recently stated it was heading into mass production of Force Touch technology in July, but did not specify for which customer the supply was being manufactured.
Force Touch, which debuted on the new 12-inch MacBook and the Apple Watch, is a feature that utilizes pressure-sensitive technology to enable devices to distinguish between a light tap and deep press, offering different actions for different touches. While DigiTimes has a mixed track record at reporting on Apple’s future product plans, its upstream supply chain sources have proven reliable in the past.
Lending further credence to this report is the fact that Apple has announced new iPhones in either September or October since the iPhone 4s, so ramped up supplier production is to be expected with less than two months before a possible announcement.
T-Mobile has also been expecting a new iPhone before the end of the year, offering a free upgrade to customers who purchase an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus during the summer months of 2015. The caveat is that buyers must upgrade before the end of the year, meaning that T-Mobile is definitely expecting a new device sometime in 2015.
For more on the rumors surrounding this year’s iPhone refresh, see Apple reportedly ditches plans for an ‘iPhone 6c.’