iPhone 6 To Have Localized Tactile Feedback As Its ‘Secret Weapon’

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Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s iPhone 6 is likely to be announced in September. Latest reports coming from Chinese website Laoyaoba (via GforGames) claim that the iPhone 6 will sport an advanced vibration unit that will provide varying degrees of tactile feedback (vibrations) in specific areas of the screen. This feature is Apple’s “secret weapon,” claims GforGames.

iPhone 6 to offer more immersive experience

This system will reportedly rely on a linear oscillating motor, similar to the one found in the iPhone 4S. The motor can emit vibrations of differing intensity levels. For instance, it could have “gentle” vibrations for taps, and violent ones for gaming to give users a more immersive experience. It makes sense for touchscreen keyboards because it provides a haptic feedback every time you press a key. That way it feels like you are typing instead of just tapping on glass.

Many Android devices already include haptic feedback. But the one in iPhone 6 will be different in that its display would provide different vibrations when you touch different areas of the screen. The motor used in the next iPhone costs two to three times more than the rotating mass vibrator in the iPhone 5S. That means the component used in the new device is more capable and complicated than its predecessor.

Will Apple use this patent in the iPhone 6?

According to Apple Insider, the Cupertino-based company won a patent in 2009 that used several synchronized motors to offer localized haptic feedback. The tech giant is widely expected to launch 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch versions of the iPhone 6 in September. The device will reportedly sport a thinner design, iOS 8 and an upgraded A8 processor. Some analysts have said that Apple will differentiate the bigger version by adding high-end parts like 128GB RAM and optical image stabilization.

The iPhone 6 will enter production this month at Foxconn Technology Co Ltd (TPE:2354) and Pegatron Corporation (TPE:4938), which will manufacture 70% and 30% of the new devices. Last month, Foxconn hired about 100,000 new employees in China, and boosted production capacity at one of its plants. Pegatron has also increased its workforce by 30% to meet the anticipated high demand for the iPhone 6.

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