3D Touch has been a staple feature of iPhone screens ever since the iPhone 6S, but Apple may drop the technology for one of its devices later this year.

So far we've heard rumors of three devices from Apple including 5.8-inch, 6.1-inch and 6.5-inch phones, but the smallest and largest of those are rumored to feature OLED display tech while the one in the middle will be LCD.

A new note from trusted KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that the 6.1-inch phone may have to drop its 3D Touch features while the other two will keep it.

According to his note, which was published by Chinese website Feng, the 3D Touch feature may be dropped because of a new "Cover Glass Sensor" tech that will mean Apple moves the touch module from the display panel to the glass itself.

It'll also be adding in a thin-film sensor to the screen tech, but exactly what that will be capable of doing is currently unclear.

One with LCD

The note says it should make the screen tech both lighter and more resistant, but it also makes it 15% more expensive to make too. Kuo believes Apple will then drop the 3D Touch functionality so the company doesn't have to increase the cost of the phone.

That'd be a bold move from Apple considering 3D Touch is now so integrated within iOS 11 (and probably iOS 12 when it launches) but if the company intends to one day make all its phones with this tech it may be the feature is soon phased out altogether.

It also may be that the new thin-film sensor Apple is rumored to be adding to the phone will be capable of some of the 3D Touch features we're used to, but we've yet to hear word of the tech so we wouldn't hold our breath for it.

Considering Apple's usual release pattern we expect to see an official announcement of what the company is planning in September this year where we're hearing rumors of an iPhone 9 and iPhone X2.

Via MacRumors