New reports claim that the Force Touch panels which will be used in Apple's upcoming iPhone 6S smartphones have already entered their mass production phase.
This new detail strongly suggests that the Cupertino-based tech giant is preparing to unveil its latest device sometime this year.
Force Touch is a technological concept developed by Apple that allows the screens of its devices to recognize users' multiple finger-based gestures. With this feature, the devices will be able to offer various control options.
This technology was first introduced by the company through the Apple Watch, which officially came out in April of this year. It then made its way to the 12-inch edition of its latest Macbook model.
Due to the functionality of this feature, Apple has decided to incorporate it in many of its upcoming devices. According to sources, the 2016 version of the Macbook Air will also come with Force Touch.
For the next iPhone model, DigiTimes obtained information from insiders close to Apple's supply chains. The tipsters noted that production of the Force Touch panels for the iPhone 6S began in June. The company then ordered the manufacturers to increase the production of the component last month.
According to the news site, Apple is targeting to reach 230 million iPhone 6S units before this year ends.
The new information regarding the company's manufacturing operations coincides with the statement released by Michael Chung, the chief executive of TPK Holding Co. This company based in Taiwan supplies the touch display panels for various major tech firms including Apple and Microsoft.
In late July, the company reported that its earnings for the last quarter fell and it lost $19.6 million. The executive cited low demand from consumers as one of the primary reasons behind the company's poor financial status.
However, Chung believes that this is all about the change with the increasing popularity of Force Touch panels.
"We believe that pressure sensors [for Force Touch panels] will see widespread adoption across the mobile device market this year," he said according to Taipei Times.
With the mass production of the new panels already in motion, it seems Apple is gearing up for the rumored launch of the iPhone 6S scheduled in September. According to NDTV, aside from the standard model, a Plus variant will also be unveiled by the company.
The iPhone 6S is expected to feature a 4.7-inch display while the larger iPhone 6S Plus will come with a 5.5-inch screen. Both will sport 2GB of LPDDR4 RAM and an upgraded 12-megapixel rear camera.
