Will Apple launch 3 new iPhones this years?

Apple could launch three new handsets in September - including a 'mini' 6c with a 4 inch screen, it has been claimed.

Experts were initially only expecting two phones - an iPhone 6s and 6s Plus with performance boosts and possibly a new touchscreen.

However, new claims by Digitimes say a third iPhone could also be unveiled.

According to the report, the display panels for all three models will be sourced from Japan Display and LG Display, with the Plus and 'C' screens also going into production at Sharp. 

The displays will be made from Corning's Gorilla Glass, indicating that Apple may have given up on its attempts at sapphire smartphone displays for now.

The larger phones are expected to ship with Apple's Samsung-made A9 processor, but the iPhone 6C will reportedly stick with the current A8 chip. 

Some analysts claim that Apple will also stick with an 8 MP camera for this hardware update.

Digitimes says that all three phones will ship with Touch ID sensors and NFC support for Apple Pay, but doesn't mention any other possible differences.

Apple's next iPhone will also know exactly how hard you are pressing it, and will have new 'smart' features to take advantage of that, it has been claimed.

The system is already being used in the Apple Watch and the firm's new Macbook portable computer.

Called force click, it even allows users to 'deep press', allowing them to see the dictionary definition of a word, or access a customisation menu on their Watch.

Now the Wall Street Journal says the same technology will come to the iPhone.

'Apple plans to add sensors to detect how hard a user is pressing on a screen to its next iPhones, incorporating a technology used in its forthcoming MacBook and Apple Watch, according to people familiar with the matter,' it said.

The touch technology is one of the changes that Apple plans for the next versions of its iPhones due for release later this year, these people said. 

Mass production for some of the components used in the new phones is expected to start in May

It is believed an iPhone 6s and 6s Plud could be revealed in September, when Apple traditionally launches its new iPhones.

The technology will first be seen in the new Macbook.  

'MacBook also features the all-new Force Touch trackpad that brings a new dimension of interactivity to the Mac,' Apple said when it was introduced earlier this week.

'The new trackpad features built-in force sensors that allow you to click anywhere and haptic feedback that provides a responsive and uniform feel. 

'You can even customize the feel of the trackpad by changing the amount of pressure needed to register each click. 

How it works: The Trackpad has four sensors and a 'taptic engine' which allows it to give the user feedback by vibrating

'The Force Touch trackpad also enables a new gesture called Force Click, a click followed by a deeper press, for tasks like pulling up the definition of a word, quickly seeing a map or glancing at a preview of a file.' 

The new technology could spawn new applications for the phones, such as a piano-playing app that would make different sounds when touched lightly or more heavily.

Daiwa Capital Markets analyst Kylie Huang said Force Touch would work better on larger-screen iPhones and could lead to more innovative gaming applications. 

The new machine, called simply the MacBook, boasts a 12 inch screen and a full size keyboard - but is just 13.1 mm thin and weighs two pounds.

It also boasts a radical new port, called USB-C, that allows it to use a single connector for power, and to hook up to other devices and even a TV.

The technology is expected to make its way into the next generation of iPhone 

Experts say the machine blurs the line between the iPad, iPhone and Macbook range.

'It seems more iPad than Mac, and joins the two ranges together,' said Stuart Miles of Pocket-Lint.com.

'It is also easy to see where the rumours of the iPad Pro came in. It's very easy to see how this could be turned into a large iPad, with a removable keyboard.'

Apple's Phil Schiller boasted the firm had 'reinvented every technology in it.'

For instance, Apple has redesigned the keyboard. claiming it is four times more accurate.

There is an LED under every key, so the entire keyboard has a uniform glow and can be used in the dark.

There is a new, pressure-sensitive Force Touch trackpad too so users can fast forward a film by applying more pressure.

The MacBook has the same 'taptic engine' as the Apple Watch, uses 30 per cent less energy than the previous model and is the first fanless logic board. This makes the components 67 per cent smaller.

Ian Fogg, an analyst with IHS, told MailOnline 'What Apple is doing here is following its visa for the Mac, its adding in the best features form the iPhone and iPad, and making it thinner and lighter.

'They've also kept course on not putting a touchscreen in there, and innovation with the touchpad

Apple unveil thinnest and lightest MacBook in gold and silver

Apple's Phil Schiller boasted the firm had 'reinvented every technology in it.' For instance, the firm has redesigned the keyboard. claiming it is four times more accurate.