Leaks and rumors continue to pour in ahead of the iOS 9 launch at the WWDC event next month. Highly-respected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has repeatedly said that the upcoming iPhone 6S and 6S Plus will feature the Force Touch technology that debuted with Apple Watch and later appeared in MacBooks.
Force Touch a certainty in iPhone 6S
Now Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac has learned from inside sources who have used Force Touch on prototype versions of ‘iPhone 6S’ that the iOS 9 will be Force Touch-ready to go with the new hardware. The Cupertino company would also allow app developers to integrate Force Touch into their apps. The technology will be integrated with Maps, Calendar, media players, and across the system, said sources.
However, Apple is unlikely to announce Force Touch support for new iPhones at the WWDC event as it is tied to an unannounced hardware. Force Touch technology will also be available on the iPad version if iOS 9, indicating that it will be incorporated in the future iPad models. The technology enables the screen or touchpad to differentiate between a gentle tap and a hard press. Stronger presses are recognized as shortcuts or new commands.
iOS 9 to take Apple Pay to Canada
The iOS 9 will also bring an updated keyboard. Apple has redesigned the iOS 8 Shift Key to easily tell users when shift or caps lock is activated. Gurman reports that the Passbook app in iOS 9 includes foundation to support credit/debit cards, banks and credit unions in Canada. The iPhone maker has built the necessary technology to bring Apple Pay to Canada. But the final launch of Apple Pay will depend on negotiations with Canadian banks.
The iOS 9 will also have a lot of other enhancements. It is rumored to bring split-screen apps for iPads, a new system-wide San Francisco font, a mass transit directions service for Maps, and support for older iPhones. Apple’s upcoming mobile OS will be compatible with devices as old as the iPhone 4 and iPad Mini.
