Rumors about Apple’s next generation smartphone iPhone 6S keep pouring as the device is just a few months away from launch. But those rumors are rarely taken as seriously as research notes from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, often called the world’s most well-connected Apple analyst. Kuo has released a new research report, saying that the iPhone 6S would take design cues from Apple Watch.
Force Touch to be the biggest selling point in iPhone 6S
Japanese website Mac Otakara has obtained a copy of Kuo’s report and summarized it. The KGI Securities analyst said that the Cupertino-based tech giant would add 0.15mm to the width and height of the next iPhone. The new phone’s thickness will be increased by 0.2mm from 6.9mm of the iPhone 6 and 7.1mm of the iPhone 6 Plus. These design changes are aimed at accommodating the new Force Touch technology and sensors required to pull it off.
Kuo has repeatedly said that Apple would add Force Touch into the iPhone 6S and its bigger sibling iPhone 6S Plus. It will be one of the biggest highlights of the upcoming devices. The iPhone maker introduced this technology with Apple Watch earlier this year. Kuo added that Apple would use a new custom material, Series 7000 aluminum alloy, to make the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus sturdier.
Apple to tweak iPhone 6S color
Series 7000 aluminum is the same material used in the Apple Watch Sport. It is up to 60% stronger than the Series 6063 used in iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, but has only one-third density of stainless steel. Last week, Allen Horng, the CEO of Catcher Technology, indirectly confirmed that the iPhone 6S will have a sturdier Series 7000 metal body. Catcher supplies metal case for iPhones.
Kuo believes that Apple will also tweak the colors of the next iPhones. The gold version will be tweaked to look more like yellow gold Apple Watch Edition. The space gray version will look slightly darker. The analyst reiterated that there will also be a rose gold option.
Last month, KGI Securities said that the iPhone 6S would feature 2GB RAM, an A9 processor, and 12-megapixel main camera.
