Purported 'iPhone 6s' schematics back claims of 0.2mm thicker design for Force Touch

An alleged schematic for Apple's next-generation "iPhone 6s" may support claims that the device will be marginally thicker than its predecessor, presumably owing to design additions such as Force Touch.

The schematic, obtained by a Chinese supply chain source for Engadget Japan, indicates a thickness of 7.1 millimeters — only 0.2 millimeters bigger than the iPhone 6. The change is minute enough that most iPhone 6 cases could fit without modifications, particularly since button and port layouts appear to be identical.

The schematic echoes a claim by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who in June said that the increase may be connected to a new Force Touch-capable display. Force Touch enables pressure-sensitive commands, such as contextual menus or faster audio/video skipping by holding down a fast-forward button. Currently, only the Apple Watch and various MacBooks support the technology.

The thickness might also stem from a rumored switch to tougher 7000 series aluminum, at the moment used for the Apple Watch Sport. Apple may be making the change partly to cope with complaints about the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus warping permanently under pressure. Both devices are significantly taller and wider than the iPhone 5s while also being thinner, which may have compromised their structural integrity.

Apple is expected to ship the 6s and a 6s Plus sometime this fall, alongside iOS 9. Other rumored features include a 12-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front camera, and a bump to a faster processor paired with 2 gigabytes of RAM.