Rumor: iPhone with 6.1″ LCD uses sturdier glass, but doesn’t have 3D Touch

The upcoming iPhone with 6.1″ LCD will probably have a layer of sturdier glass on the front. The glass would be lighter and more resistant to drops, but it is also more expensive. Apple would therefore remove 3D Touch functionality from the cheapest model .

KGI Securities analyst Ming-chi Kuo told Chinese website Feng. The analyst often releases details about new Apple products. According to the analyst, the new iPhone uses the cover glass sensor process, in which the touch module is attached to the glass instead of incorporated into it. That would make the glass sturdier.

Apple would add an extra layer on top of the touch module, but it is not yet known what that layer is for. However, it would increase the price of the touch panel and therefore Apple would choose to omit the 3D Touch functionality with the cheapest model. According to Ming-chi Kuo, Apple has plans to provide all iPhones with the new stronger glass from 2019, including the OLED models.

The current rumor is about the 6.1 “version of the iPhone, which will get an LCD. That will be the cheapest variant, which is expected together with two OLED models in the autumn. There may also be a successor to the iPhone SE; it could be announced as early as spring.