Latest rumour: Apple’s 3G iPhone going touchy-feely?

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 28 April 2008 13:58

Your IT - Mobility

The standard form of haptic feedback is a simple buzz to let you know you’ve successfully pressed a button.

But what if you’ve pressed the wrong button? Sure, you’ll get feedback. But it’s not intelligent feedback.

This is where advances in haptic technology come to the fore.

Imagine if you could get a different form of vibration, be it stronger, or weaker. Or a rhythmic vibration – perhaps a couple of buzzes if you press the wrong key, for example – or a stronger buzz if you’re pressing a key in the ‘top row’ of the keyboard.

Now haptic technology becomes even more useful, making touch and even smarter system that delivers different kinds of information.

Of course, implementing such a system, and making it easy to use – and fast – while still delivering useful information, is the challenge.

We all know how Apple likes to be first, or if not first, to have the best – or at least, what it thinks is the best.

So... my money’s on a more intelligent form of haptic technology appearing on the next-gen iPhone... and if it is too late for it to appear on the iPhone supposedly due in six weeks time, then the one that will inevitably come after that.

After all, we only need to see the regularity with which Steve Jobs releases new iPods.

If the next iPhone is 32GB, what’s to stop another early next year – or even by year’s end – coming with 64GB – and tasty haptic feedback?

Only the imagination and engineering skills of Apple and its manufacturing partners.

What kind of effect all this vibration will have on battery life, especially if it is intelligent feedback, is as yet unknown.

So, while this is still nothing but a rumour – backed up by the fact that Immersion’s new CEO is indeed a former Apple employee of some distinction – it’s juicy, crunchy and desirable all rolled into one.

Let’s hope it’s true, and that the iPhone becomes more touching – and touchable – than ever!