iPhone's Force Touch Tech May Track Contact Area Instead of Pressure, New 4" Model Unlikely in 2015

MacRumors · Apr 2, 2015

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a respectable track record at reporting on Apple's upcoming plans, issued a note to investors on Thursday that claims the next-generation iPhone will have a FPC-made capacitive Force Touch sensor under the backlight, laminated with metal shielding. Kuo adds that the change may be significant enough for Apple to call its next iPhone the "iPhone 7" instead of the so-called "iPhone 6s."

The analyst claims that the hardware design of Force Touch will be different than the technology used in the Apple Watch and 12-inch Retina MacBook. Instead of directly detecting the pressure applied by fingers, the new improved Force Touch hardware will monitor the contact area where a finger presses to determine how much pressure is being applied. The sensor will use capacitive technology and thin FPC material to save space.

"We believe that iPhone's Force Touch sensor doesn't directly detect the pressure applied by fingers. Instead, it monitors the contact area on which the finger touches the screen to decide how big the pressure is.

There are two possible structural designs for Force Touch from a technology viewpoint. The Force Touch sensor can either be placed between the cover lens and the In-cell touch panel or under the In-cell touch panel's backlight. In the first position, the technological challenge lies with how to produce the transparent Force Touch sensor; in the second position, the challenge is how to reduce signal interference from in-cell touch panel. Our understanding of the technology is that producing a transparent Force Touch sensor is more difficult, so the chances are the new iPhone this year will opt for the second position."

Kuo adds that Apple is likely to change the hardware design of Force Touch again in 2016 by removing the metal shielding to achieve a thinner form factor. He notes that the changes should improve the iPhone user experience, but will likely create uncertainty for Force Touch module suppliers TPK and GIS, as well as metal shielding suppliers Minebea, Hi-P and Jabil.

Kuo claims that Apple is still targeting 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models for its next-generation iPhones, akin to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and notes that a 4-inch model is unlikely to be released this year. KGI Securities estimates iPhone shipments will total 25 to 30 million units in the third quarter, helping drive momentum for Force Touch components within the supply chain.

Article Link: iPhone's Force Touch Tech May Track Contact Area Instead of Pressure, New 4" Model Unlikely in 2015

nia820 · Apr 2, 2015

4 inches is just too small for a smartphone. There is a reason why 4.7 and up is the standard now. Because it is more practical. I don't think Apple is going back to 4 inches. With the iPhone 6 and 6+ success, there is no going back to smaller phones.

QCassidy352 · Apr 2, 2015

I would love a 4" model with high end specs, but if it was just going to be a plastic 5s at the "free on contract" price point then no great loss.

oldmacs · Apr 2, 2015

NOOO!!! I want a 4 inch phone :'(

My iPhone 5 better last a long time, because its looking more and more like my last.

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nia820 said:
4 inches is just too small for a smartphone. There is a reason why 4.7 and up is the standard now. Because it is more practical.

Its a matter of how you use your phone. 80 percent of my phone usage would be 1 handed, which i can't do with the 6 making it useless and impractical for me. 4 inches is the perfect size.

They really should offer a 4,4.7 and 5.5 lnch range and that would satisfy everyone.

0098386 · Apr 2, 2015

Is that possible without calibration? A small finger pushing hard would register the same area as a larger finger pressing soft. I can't imagine it working like that.

bushido · Apr 2, 2015

nia820 said:
4 inches is just too small for a smartphone. There is a reason why 4.7 and up is the standard now. Because it is more practical.

human habits. I got used to it so quickly I wouldn't mind trying out a 5.5 plus right now even though I found 4.7 big enough months ago tbh. the 4.0 feels like a tiny toy in my hands now

decimortis · Apr 2, 2015

You lost me at Apple going directly to iPhone 7, especially for the reason they would do it. Also, people have different sized fingers so how is measuring the area pressed a good indication of pressure? Also, they will still sell the 5S for those that like the 4" model. How do I know? I am analyst.

D.

QCassidy352 · Apr 2, 2015

nia820 said:
4 inches is just too small for a smartphone. There is a reason why 4.7 and up is the standard now. Because it is more practical.

Disagree. 4.7 gives me a bit more usable screen in exchange for losing 1 handed use. Not a good trade off (for me).

jclardy · Apr 2, 2015

Dagless said:
Is that possible without calibration? A small finger pushing hard would register the same area as a larger finger pressing soft. I can't imagine it working like that.

Exactly...I don't really believe this rumor because then even the original iPhone could have "Force Touch" - the capacitive screen already detects the entire contact area and the OS decides the center point to tell the app.

LordQ · Apr 2, 2015

Yeah, right...

cmChimera · Apr 2, 2015

Dagless said:
Is that possible without calibration? A small finger pushing hard would register the same area as a larger finger pressing soft. I can't imagine it working like that.

Yeah that didn't make sense to me either. I do hope they skip straight to 7 though. Or just stop numbering them.

blackcrayon · Apr 2, 2015

jclardy said:
Exactly...I don't really believe this rumor because then even the original iPhone could have "Force Touch" - the capacitive screen already detects the entire contact area and the OS decides the center point to tell the app.

Yes, and now iOS even lets developers read this touch area directly so it's even less of a "new feature".

cmChimera · Apr 2, 2015

CarlosQG said:
Yeah, right...

Completely unrelated, but I can tell you're a Smash fan, and I think we should play.

Ballis · Apr 2, 2015

No new 4" = no purchase. I never thought id sit a generation out. Much less two. But the iPhone 5S is still by far the most appealing iPhone to me.

ArtOfWarfare · Apr 2, 2015

Dagless said:
Is that possible without calibration? A small finger pushing hard would register the same area as a larger finger pressing soft. I can't imagine it working like that.

It seems like it could easily calibrate it without you noticing.

"Oh, I see lots of small touches - you probably have small fingers. A bigger touch - that's a force touch!"

"Lots of big touches - you have big fingers. A touch even bigger still - that's a force touch!"

The only caveat I can think of is it would have to be assumed that the first several touches were normal touches. So you could screw it up by always pressing as hard as you can.

Serban · Apr 2, 2015

so beginning with the iPhone 7 in 2016 we will have touchID in the screen and no more home button

ArtOfWarfare · Apr 2, 2015

cmChimera said:
Completely unrelated, but I can tell you're a Smash fan, and I think we should play.

It's just a picture of MewTwo... how does that tell you he's a smash fan? It says Pokemon to me.

Anyways, ZSS FTW. No, we shouldn't play - I don't have time and I don't much like playing non-RTSs online. I'm always down for SC2 though...

chrmjenkins · Apr 2, 2015

Dagless said:
Is that possible without calibration? A small finger pushing hard would register the same area as a larger finger pressing soft. I can't imagine it working like that.

We may be surprised. Consider the length of time it takes to establish first contact vs. full pressure. There may be enough time to detect the increase of contact area over time that gives them clues about finger size.

Still, this sounds like it's meant to be a way for them to retain LCD displays, with no flexibility needed.

nagromme · Apr 2, 2015

Would love a Force Touch iPad Air 3! Especially if it has haptic feedback like the MacBook (which is different from the Watch).

And haptic feedback would use battery--maybe a lot, if used often enough to be meaningful software feature. Where better to put it--for starters anyway--than in a tablet, where the battery is huge?

bondsbw · Apr 2, 2015

For the few people who use a stylus, this wouldn't work as the contact area would not increase significantly (or at all if the stylus is completely rigid).

CEmajr · Apr 2, 2015

oldmacs said:
NOOO!!! I want a 4 inch phone :'(

My iPhone 5 better last a long time, because its looking more and more like my last.

----------

Its a matter of how you use your phone. 80 percent of my phone usage would be 1 handed, which i can't do with the 6 making it useless and impractical for me. 4 inches is the perfect size.

They really should offer a 4,4.7 and 5.5 lnch range and that would satisfy everyone.

You should get the 5S. In terms of power it's almost on par with the 6 and should be pretty smooth for a while.

eoblaed · Apr 2, 2015

Dagless said:
Is that possible without calibration? A small finger pushing hard would register the same area as a larger finger pressing soft. I can't imagine it working like that.

Calibration/learning is already part of the Touch ID process, it would almost certainly be part of this process, too.

cmChimera · Apr 2, 2015

ArtOfWarfare said:
It's just a picture of MewTwo... how does that tell you he's a smash fan? It says Pokemon to me.

Anyways, ZSS FTW. No, we shouldn't play - I don't have time and I don't much like playing non-RTSs online. I'm always down for SC2 though...

It's a picture of the newly revealed Smash 4 Mewtwo render however. And I believe his last avatar was the Smash 4 render of Robin. I mean it's possible that he just likes Pokemon and Fire Emblem, and uses the high quality renders from Smash, but he seems to be in the loop at least for Smash, since this was just announced yesterday.

And King Dedede all day.

I haven't played Starcraft in a long time, so you'd probably demolish me.

But on topic, your suggestion of the calibration may work. It just seems really difficult with all sorts of different sized fingers.

BornAgainMac · Apr 2, 2015

Make one with no screen. Perhaps one shaped like an Apple Logo that you pin to your shirt. Just tap it like Star Trek Next Generation and use Siri to navigate, talk, etc.

Include a nice camera too. Just tap it twice and it will take a picture of whatever you are looking at as soon as your hand gets out of the way.

Force touch feature included of course.

Gluben · Apr 2, 2015

Why don't they just skip ahead to the proper generation number and call it the iPhone 9? It'll have an A9 chip after all...

iPhone's Force Touch Tech May Track Contact Area Instead of Pressure, New 4" Model Unlikely in 2015

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