Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities says Apple’s next-generation iPhone will be slightly thicker to accommodate the device’s new Force Touch feature, and will be made of custom Series 7000 aluminum, which will result in a case that will be up to 60% harder than the current iPhone.
Information on the materials that will be used to build Apple’s so-called “iPhone 6s” was detailed by well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, in a research note summarized by Macotakara.
Kuo says the next iPhone will be slightly wider and taller by about 0.15 millimeters. It will be thicker by 0.2 millimeters. These changes are likely due to the inclusion of the new Force Touch display expected to be used in the new device.
It was reported back in February that Apple has plans to bring the Apple Watch’s Force Touch input method to the “iPhone 6s” later this year. The feature is currently available on both the Apple Watch and the latest MacBooks, and allows users to press harder on the display of the Watch, or the trackpad of the MacBook to access new contextual options.
Apple introduced the 7000 Series aluminum in the Apple Watch, promoting it as an entirely new alloy, offering up to 60% more strength than most aluminum, with just one-third the density of stainless steel.
Kuo also sees the colors on the next-generation iPhone being tweaked, with the current gold color becoming more of a yellow gold, while space grey will become darker than it is on the current iPhone 6.
Kuo also once more noted that he believes the company will offer a rose gold colored iPhone this year. He did not mention whether he believes it will be simply a color option, or if it will be a premium iPhone made of the same actual 18-karat gold used to make the luxury Apple Watch Edition. That model Watch starts at $10,000.
