Apple's iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c have only been on shelves for a little over a month now, but that hasn't stopped the iPhone rumor mill from starting production on claims about the next round of iOS smartphone hardware.
A source speaking to Bloomberg says that Apple is currently working on two new iPhone designs with displays that are 4.7 and 5.5 inches in size. The tipster also alleges that these screens will have glass that "curves downward at the edges," but no other details on that particular feature were given. These new iPhones are said to be still in development and Apple's plans aren't yet complete, but the source suggests that the Cupertino firm could introduce them in the third quarter of 2014.
Smartphones have steadily been increasing in size in recent years, with some newer Android models sporting displays as large as 6.4 inches. Apple's iPhone has held steady with a 4-inch screen for the past two iterations, though, making it one of the smallest smartphones around. The rumor mill has churned out innumerable reports claiming that Apple is working on larger iPhone models, and while it's certainly possible that the company is indeed testing such hardware, there's been no concrete evidence of these devices or Apple's plans to actually unleash them into the world.
Finally, the originator of today's report says that Apple is testing new pressure-sensitive technology that is capable of telling the difference between light and heavy touches on a device's display. These sensors are "unlikely" to be ready for the 2014 iPhone models, though, and so the source says that Apple may wait until subsequent releases to incorporate the pressure-sensitive tech.
Sensors that can distinguish light and heavy touches sound like a feature that could be useful on a smartphone; for example, they could allow the user to perform different actions depending on the pressure of his or her touch. Just as with the rumored larger iPhone models, it's certainly possible that Apple is testing new pressure-sensitive technology somewhere in its Cupertino labs. After all, Apple is one of the biggest companies in mobile, and it's likely trying out many different new technologies. For now this pressure-sensitive tech is still very much a rumor, though, leaving us to speculate about when it could actually debut and the different features that it could enable.
Via Bloomberg
