The Apple rumor mill continues to hum, this time with word that the iPhone might (finally) be getting tactile feedback for its touchscreen. Also: GPS, and a thicker case with a black, glossy back cover?

Palluxo is reporting that execs for Immersion, the company that brings the "rumble" to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 controllers and vibrating "tactile" feedback to cell phones, is in talks with Apple about licensing its technology for the iPhone.

Of course, one of the biggest complaints about the iPhone is that its touchscreen interface doesn't "buzz" when you tap the virtual keys. I've tried several phones with Immersion's "VibeTonz" technology before, and the effect (which can also be used for games, music, alerts, and so on) is pretty uncanny.

Now, what's interesting about Immersion's technology is that it's essentially just software that controls a phone's "vibration actuator"—which, of course, the iPhone already has. That means that a simple software update could bring tactile feedback to existing iPhones. And here's another tantalizing detail: Immersion's new CEO used to be an Apple executive.

That's all just rumor, though—and here's another rumor while we're at it: Engadget's spies say that the new, 3G iPhone will not only come with GPS, but will also have a slightly thicker case and a new, black glossy backing.

Hmmm...GPS is nice, but not if it means a thicker iPhone (or at least, that's my take). Even more worrisome is word of the glossy backing, which might be more prone to scratches than the brushed aluminum backing on my 8GB iPhone, which (after 10 months of heavy use) has yet to suffer a serious scratch. Why fix what ain't broken?

What do you think—ready for haptic feedback on the iPhone? And if you had to pick, would you rather have GPS on your iPhone, or a thinner handset?

Related:
LEAKED: Apple to Licence Haptic Technology for iPhone [Palluxo]
The second-gen iPhone: 3G, GPS, only slightly thicker [Engadget]