The latest rumors suggest that Apple may be planning on using silver nanowire technology for its upcoming 12.9-inch tablet, which is being called the iPad Pro.
This new information emerged after the South Korean news outlet Korea IT News reported that the company has ordered samples of the material from various display suppliers such as LG Display, Japan Display and Samsung Display.
Silver nanowire, made from silver wire mesh, is very flexible and has a diameter of only one nanometer. In addition, the conductive and flexible nature of this material means it can conform to uneven shapes of various surfaces and do not require extra sensors to respond to touch technology, according to Apple Insider.
What this means for consumers is that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro may include Force Touch technology, the same feature found in Apple's latest MacBook and MacBook Pro models as well as on the Apple Watch. Aside from these devices, this technology will also be included in Apple's rumored iPhone 6S handset.
Through Force Touch technology, the display of devices will be able to distinguish the various levels of pressure applied by users with their fingertips. It can then assign numerous control options based on the pressure levels.
With this feature, users will be able to interact with their devices in more ways than other gadgets that do not have Force Touch technology.
Aside from this feature, previous reports have revealed that the iPad Pro will have a USB type C port and stylus accessory based on Bluetooth technology. The upcoming tablet is also expected to have NFC support, which means it can be used for Apple Pay transactions.
The iPad Pro was initially expected to be unveiled sometime during the fourth quarter of this year. However, according to information obtained by G for Games, the upcoming tablet will most probably be launched in 2016. This period is based on the availability of the silver nanowire technology for the iPad Pro.
