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No 3D Touch for iPad Air 3 Due in First Half of 2016, iPhone 7’s 3D Touch Tech Similar to iPhone 6s

Tuesday December 15, 2015 6:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a research note obtained by MacRumors that predicts the iPad Air 3 will be released in the first half of 2016 and is unlikely to adopt 3D Touch because of production issues within Apple's supply chain.

Kuo also believes the iPhone 7's pressure-sensitive 3D Touch display will have "similar technology and structure" as the iPhone 6s. The report confirms the iPhone 7 will be released in 2016, likely around Apple's usual September timeframe.

iPhone-6s-3D-Touch
Apple could unveil the iPad Air 3 at its rumored March 2016 event, where it is expected to introduce a new 4-inch iPhone and the second-generation Apple Watch. Apple last held a March 2015 event to announce the 12-inch Retina MacBook and Apple Watch pricing and release date information.

Apple often releases new iPads in the fall, but it did not announce the iPad Air 3 at its eventful September 2015 keynote, instead focusing its efforts on introducing the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, iPad Pro, iPad mini 4, Apple TV 4 and Apple Watch Hermès. Apple announced the iPad Air 2 in October 2014.

Apple introduced the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in September with 3D Touch as a headline new feature. The pressure-sensing technology enables iPhone users to perform additional "Peek" and "Pop" gestures to access Quick Action shortcut menus or preview content within apps.

3D Touch also enables iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users to press the left side of the Home screen to switch to multitasking view, press lightly for finer lines or more deeply for thicker ones in Notes, swipe left or right to delete or mark as unread in Mail while using "Peek," and much more.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tags: KGI Securities, Ming-Chi Kuo, iPad Air 3, 3D Touch
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jclardy
46 months ago
My guess is that it will get Pencil support. It only makes sense, Apple would sell a literal ton of $100 pencils if they can work with a $500 iPad Air 3.

Plus adding Pencil support to the Air means more developers will jump on the iPad train, so in a way it legitimizes the Pro even more.
Rating: 27 Votes
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jumanji
46 months ago
don't just release **** for the sake of releasing a new model. wait until you can make it something worth buying.
Rating: 24 Votes
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Carmenia83
46 months ago
Oh yeah, I forgot my 6s does that.
Rating: 18 Votes
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mdridwan47
46 months ago
Dammit Apple!

nooooooooooooooo.com

Well, I'll just wait for the iPad Air 4 then. :(
Rating: 17 Votes
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Abazigal
46 months ago

Apple has been in FAIL mode for some time, and now its product pipeline is proving it. The iPad Pro is useless without being able to run Mac OS and full Mac apps. It's not a "pro" device if I still need a desktop to finish off that Photoshop illustration that I can only start on the iPad Pro using gimped iOS apps from Adobe. Maybe Apple's Board of Directors should put a visionary into the CEO position - someone who actually cares about the products?

This crap again.
Rating: 15 Votes
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Jetfire
46 months ago
Why release the iPad Air 3 then. Why not wait unit next fall.
Rating: 13 Votes
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Rogifan
46 months ago

The pencil's technology allows for force sensitivity. Not sure if you could do both the pencil and force touch without creating some conflicts. I therefore imagine that bringing the pencil to the Air makes more sense than force touch. However, Apple does tend to surprise us from time to time so who knows what it will bring.

In that Bloomberg article on 3D Touch Jony Ive said things are released whe they're ready, not held back. I'm sure cynics would never believe that but honestly if 3D Touch was ready for iPad Pro why leave it off? It's not like iPad Pro with 3D Touch would cannibalize iPhone sales. And intentionally leaving it off to have something for 2nd gen doesn't really make sense. I'm sure there are a number of people holding off buying an iPad until it gets 3D Touch. Wouldn't Apple rather get that sale now rather than hope they'll get it a year or two from now?

It could be possible that Apple is still figuring out how to implement 3D Touch on a much larger display. Perhaps it added too much weight to the device. Maybe there is a shortage of the Taptic Engine and iPhone gets first priority. Maybe getting 3D Touch to play nice with Apple pencil is a difficult engineering challenge. It seems any one of these is more likely than Phil Schiller saying leave it out so I have something to sell next year.
Rating: 11 Votes
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Rogifan
46 months ago
Does this guy ever release a research note that doesn't reference production or supply chain issues?

I feel like 3D Touch could be utilized much more. The best they can do is peek and pop?


It was just announced in September. Maybe wait for WWDC before writing it off?
Rating: 10 Votes
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naeS1Sean
46 months ago
I feel like 3D Touch could be utilized much more. The best they can do is peek and pop?
Rating: 10 Votes
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Jsameds
46 months ago

Apple has been in FAIL mode for some time, and now its product pipeline is proving it. The iPad Pro is useless without being able to run Mac OS and full Mac apps. It's not a "pro" device if I still need a desktop to finish off that Photoshop illustration that I can only start on the iPad Pro using gimped iOS apps from Adobe. Maybe Apple's Board of Directors should put a visionary into the CEO position - someone who actually cares about the products?


Your problem is with the apps, not the hardware or OS.
Rating: 9 Votes

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