Apple's ‘force touch’ and 'taptic engine' explained

The new MacBook trackpad and haptic feedback technology could be coming to the iPhone next year and represents the next evolution of touch input

Apple's new super-thin MacBook comes with a new trackpad technology that detects the force of a tap or press and is expected to be added to the iPhone next year. But what is "force touch", how does it work and what on earth is a "taptic engine"?

Beyond the hype and buzz around the Apple Watch launch on Monday evening, a piece of technology that could change the way we interact with our computers and smartphones was unveiled. But it wasn't a wearable device, nor a new phone. It was a new laptop fitted with a new type of trackpad.