No 3D Touch for iPad Air 3 Due in First Half of 2016, iPhone 7’s 3D Touch Tech Similar to iPhone 6s

[MacRumors]

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a research note obtained by MacRumors that predicts the iPad Air 3 will be released in the first half of 2016 and is unlikely to adopt 3D Touch because of production issues within Apple's supply chain.

Kuo also believes the iPhone 7's pressure-sensitive 3D Touch display will have "similar technology and structure" as the iPhone 6s. The report confirms the iPhone 7 will be released in 2016, likely around Apple's usual September timeframe.

Apple could unveil the iPad Air 3 at its rumored March 2016 event, where it is expected to introduce a new 4-inch iPhone and the second-generation Apple Watch. Apple last held a March 2015 event to announce the 12-inch Retina MacBook and Apple Watch pricing and release date information.

Apple often releases new iPads in the fall, but it did not announce the iPad Air 3 at its eventful September 2015 keynote, instead focusing its efforts on introducing the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, iPad Pro, iPad mini 4, Apple TV 4 and Apple Watch Hermès. Apple announced the iPad Air 2 in October 2014.

Apple introduced the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in September with 3D Touch as a headline new feature. The pressure-sensing technology enables iPhone users to perform additional "Peek" and "Pop" gestures to access Quick Action shortcut menus or preview content within apps.

3D Touch also enables iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users to press the left side of the Home screen to switch to multitasking view, press lightly for finer lines or more deeply for thicker ones in Notes, swipe left or right to delete or mark as unread in Mail while using "Peek," and much more.

Article Link: No 3D Touch for iPad Air 3 Due in First Half of 2016, iPhone 7's 3D Touch Tech Similar to iPhone 6s

 

[mdridwan47]

Dammit Apple!

nooooooooooooooo.com

Well, I'll just wait for the iPad Air 4 then.

 

[jclardy]

My guess is that it will get Pencil support. It only makes sense, Apple would sell a literal ton of $100 pencils if they can work with a $500 iPad Air 3.

Plus adding Pencil support to the Air means more developers will jump on the iPad train, so in a way it legitimizes the Pro even more.

 

[KPOM]

How about Pencil support in the iPad Air 3?

 

[Fzang]

Wouldn't want to ruin the sales of the slightly pricier iPad Pro.

 

[gsmornot]

Wish the iPad had it now.

 

[Jetfire]

Why release the iPad Air 3 then. Why not wait unit next fall.

 

[YouCanCallMeBigDaddy]

iPad Air 3 will need to keep its name so the next one will be called the "iPad Air 3D". That way, people will think its the 3rd one and folks can be confused like they were on the iPhone 3G. People be like "I missed the second iPhone???"

 

[magicschoolbus]

I have a hard time believing that they would not incorporate this feature across the board as most apps will eventually implement it and its already in the Mac and their flagship product. I have 3D touch on my 6S and other then switching between apps, I barely use it. Until you can assign the shortcuts within the app that you want in that force touch menu, it will remain a feature that hasn't caught on for me.

 

[jumanji]

don't just release **** for the sake of releasing a new model. wait until you can make it something worth buying.

 

[tubomac]

It's obvious! another Apple marketing decision!
adopting 3d touch on iPad Air3 would be ******** on iPad Pro new buyers who
paid big money for just a bigger display.

 

[naeS1Sean]

I feel like 3D Touch could be utilized much more. The best they can do is peek and pop?

 

[Stella]

Err, nope. These predictions come around every year - "new iPhone / iPad first half of 20xx" -

Never happens.

 

[webbuzz]

Might have to wait for the iPad Air 4.

 

[Rogifan]

Does this guy ever release a research note that doesn't reference production or supply chain issues?

I feel like 3D Touch could be utilized much more. The best they can do is peek and pop?

It was just announced in September. Maybe wait for WWDC before writing it off?

 

[macduke]

I'm going to guess that the way 3D Touch currently works is probably difficult to implement across a large display area with decent accuracy. For instance, I downloaded this game that uses pressure sensitivity and it's definitely more finicky in precision near the edges than at the center of the 6s.

That being said, it's too bad they can't make it work. I'm not a heavy 3D Touch user, but some of the capabilities would be nice on the iPad. Force Touching on the keyboard to select text is much better than the two-finger solution on the iPad—especially since I often use the iPad in split view and your two fingers have to be on one side or the other to initiate editing.

I think the iPad Air 3 will get Apple Pencil support. I'd consider upgrading for something like that, but I also kinda hope that Apple also comes out with a Pro model in a 9.7" size. As it stands now they'll probably keep the 2GB of RAM and bump the speed by ~30-40%, as well as upgrade the FaceTime camera. I'm always up for more RAM, especially if I start using my iPad for more advanced creative work, but 2GB right now is still pretty decent. Faster RAM and NAND would help make a difference.

 

[Carmenia83]

Oh yeah, I forgot my 6s does that.

 

[redheeler]

I wish there were a 3D touch method of returning to the home screen. I have to press the home button to do that now. (I know I could add a button via accessibility but I don't want a floating button on my screen)

Or bring the iPad gesture to iPhone, I'd be fine with that as well. The gestures are one of the things I like the most about my iPad 1 running iOS 5.1.1, and I would say they work even better as a home button substitute than 3D Touch on my iPhone 6s.

 

[S.B.G]

Why does the analyst believe Apple will be releasing a new iPad in the first half of the year? Isn't their usual iPad release time in the second half of the year?

 

[JesperA]

Why does the analyst believe Apple will be releasing a new iPad in the first half of the year? Isn't their usual iPad release time in the second half of the year?

Most iPads has been announced in around Mars usually. Some has been released in like October or something, but yeah, in the beginning atleast their iPad events was in Mars

 

[mxmgodin]

If it has Apple Pencil support, that might get me to upgrade my 3rd gen iPad. The iPad Pro is too expensive for me.

 

[Jsameds]

It's obvious! another Apple marketing decision!
adopting 3d touch on iPad Air3 would be ******** on iPad Pro new buyers who
paid big money for just a bigger display.

I hate the way Apple holds lines back to sell their new, more expensive line. If it wasn't for the iPad Pro we'd already have an Air 3 with an A9 and 3D Touch.

 

[Rogifan]

Why does the analyst believe Apple will be releasing a new iPad in the first half of the year? Isn't their usual iPad release time in the second half of the year?

This research note gives us zero indication of what improvements this iPad Air 3 would have over the Air 2. I think it will need more than a spec bump to be worthwhile.

I hate the way Apple holds lines back to sell their new, more expensive line. If it wasn't for the iPad Pro we'd already have an Air 3 with an A9 and 3D Touch.

And you know this how? What if Apple is having difficulty implementing 3D Touch on a much larger display area? I mean its not on the iPad Pro. There's obviously a reason for that. And if people day that's to get you to buy an iPad Pro 2 then you could say that about anything. At some point Apple has to release the technology they're working on, they can't keep it in their labs forever.

 

[S.B.G]

Most iPads has been announced in around Mars usually

Yeah, that's the announcement, but what about release date? Since the iPad 4, release dates have shifted to the Autumn.

 

[meaning-matters]

Surprize surprize: Next iPhone in September. That's 'confirmed' now.