Apple’s iPhone 6, Next Gen iPads Could Use Immersion’s Haptic Technology: Analyst

Will Apple’s upcoming iPhone 6 and next generation of iPads utilize haptic feedback technology? If you’re Feltl analyst Jeffrey Schreiner, you believe this is going to happen this fall, reports Investors.com:

Feltl analyst Jeffrey Schreiner said he expects the upcoming Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 6 smartphone and new iPad tablets will include haptic technology. With haptics, users feel vibrations and other forces when touching virtual buttons on touchscreens.

Haptic feedback means the screen vibrates when a user touches the surface, such as when typing on a keyboard to provide the user with physical sensations for feedback. Haptic technology has been long used on Apple’s smartphone rivals, even before the iPhone.

The question remains whether Apple would build haptic technology in-house or use technology from an established player such as Immersion. The rumour of Apple using haptic technology sent Immersion stock up 8.5% in afternoon trading.

Schreiner believes there’s a 50/50 chance Apple would use haptic feedback in its next batch of iOS devices:

“While Apple working with Immersion on haptics within the iPhone 6/iPad could offer meaningful valuation upside, we do see the potential for risk to Immersion if Apple were to go it alone,”

Immersion provides its technology to Apple rivals Samsung, LG and Motorola Mobility to name a few, giving the company a dominant 45-50 percent marketshare of Android-based smartphones.

Back in 2012, Immersion rival Senseg hinted to Pocket-Lint Apple might use its haptic technology in the then release of the iPad 3, which never materialized. The Apple press invite tag-line at the time was “We have something you really have to see. And touch.” which caused many to predict haptics could emerge.

Last fall, Bloomberg reported Apple was developer larger iPhones with curved screens and also the possible use of haptic technology. Their source at the time said “sensors that can distinguish heavy or light touches on the screen may be incorporated into subsequent models.”

Apple is rumoured to launch larger iPhone 6 models in both 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screen sizes, to debut sometime this fall, possibly in September.