The most accurate Apple analyst in the world has some big predictions about the next iPhone
Here's what Kuo thinks Apple has in store:
- The next iPhone will come with Apple's Force Touch technology that debuted in the new MacBook and Apple Watch.
- Apple might call the phone the iPhone 7, not the iPhone 6s, due to all the significant changes in the phone.
- It will come in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch variants just like the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
- Apple won't release a 4-inch model this year, contrary to previous reports.
The Force Touch technology in the so-called iPhone 7 will be different than what's in Apple's other recent products, according to Kuo. He doesn't think it will detect pressure like the sensor in the new MacBook's trackpad, but rather it will sense "contact area on which the finger touches the screen to decide how big the pressure is.
This sounds like Apple may be trying to make it easier to interact with icons and user interface elements of different sizes on the screen.
Kuo thinks this will be such a big change that Apple will call it the iPhone 7 instead of the 6s. His predictions come just after Taiwanese website Economic Daily News reported Apple's next iPhone will come with Force Touch technology.
Kuo is regarded as being one of the most accurate analysts commenting on Apple. He's nailed details about Apple's previous product launches, such as the iPhone 5, and even when he predictions are off in terms of timing he still has a decent idea of what kind of technology Apple is interested in.
We still have a ways to go before we really learn about what Apple has planned for its future iPhones. The company typically unveils its new iPhones in September, so we're likely to hear more in the fall.