Apple could abandon Touch ID fingerprint scanner in iPhone 8

[Shawn Knight]

Apple is widely expected to adopt a bezel-less display with its next iPhone, a redesign that all but guarantees the removal of the phone’s dedicated Home “button.” Much debate has ensued with regard to where the Home button’s displaced Touch ID fingerprint scanner will end up.

Thus far, we’ve heard two arguments. Some believe Apple will move the Touch ID sensor to the back of the device as we’ve seen on other smartphones while others think the technology will be integrated directly into the iPhone’s display, thus eliminating the need for a standalone sensor.

Qualcomm fueled the fire for the second option last month when it announced an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor that works under glass, metal and water. This solution certainly sounds more appealing aesthetically although rumors of manufacturing issues have led some to doubt that it’ll happen with this year’s refresh.

Now, we’re hearing rumblings of a third scenario.

KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, well-known for his iPhone predictions, said in a new report on Monday that the OLED iPhone will ship with a virtual Home button. Critically, however, this virtual button won’t support fingerprint recognition.

We predict the OLED model won’t support fingerprint recognition, reasons being: (1) the full-screen design doesn’t work with existing capacitive fingerprint recognition, and (2) the scan-through ability of the under-display fingerprint solution still has technical challenges, including: (I) requirement for a more complex panel pixel design; (ii) disappointing scan-through of OLED panel despite it being thinner than LCD panel; and (iii) weakened scan-through performance due to overlayered panel module.

One key takeaway here is that, by abandoning the under-display fingerprint sensor, Apple won’t have to further delay production ramp-up. Kuo previously projected that production would be postponed until at least late October.

Kuo didn't comment on whether or not he thinks the Touch ID sensor will be relocated to the rear of the device or abandoned totally. The latter option seems unlikely given how widely used Touch ID is.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/69967-apple-could-abandon-touch-fingerprint-scanner-iphone-8.html

 

[m4a4]

Apple is known for removing convenient features for aesthetics. So it wouldn't be surprising if they did lol

 

[p51d007]

Apple is worried more how something looks, versus how it functions.
Thin, slim (small battery), "stylish" colors.
Hey manufacturers! Get a clue. IT'S A PHONE, not a fashion accessory.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if their 'special' 10 year anniversary model turns out to be really nothing more than than a MK2 version of whatever model they're currently selling. Don't expect anything revolutionary, they abandoned that business decades ago, not that they were ever in it, they just tried to fool us that they were.

 

[Skjorn]

I never understood why people want to just give out their fingerprints to companies like that. Or what was so hard about a pattern/number password that we needed a tech to read our biometrics to make a phone call? I really wish phone models came with options, like I could get the high ppi screen and nice camera without a metal body and without fingerprint/iris scanners.

With the gov demanding so much info from companies these days I would not be surprised if they gave the gov all the fingerprints and iris's in their databases. Now there won't be a choice in touching the fingerprint selling buttons because it will be embedded into the screen.

All I want is a non-invasive/intrusive cell phone. That is past 720p. I guess I will have to wait for the lower end phones to catch up. Its why I am still on my 4yr old LG Optimus G (G1). No real reason to upgrade.

 

[bexwhitt]

Apple is known for removing convenient features for aesthetics. So it wouldn't be surprising if they did lol

A physical home button is so useful no wonder they want to get rid of it.

 

[Burty117]

I never understood why people want to just give out their fingerprints to companies like that.

Fingerprints are stored locally on the phone in a very secure memory module. These companies do not have access to your fingerprints.

 

[Skjorn]

Fingerprints are stored locally on the phone in a very secure memory module. These companies do not have access to your fingerprints.

Lol ok

 

[Burty117]

Lol ok

Secure Enclave
The chip in your device includes an advanced security architecture called the Secure Enclave, which was developed to protect your passcode and fingerprint data. Touch ID doesn't store any images of your fingerprint, and instead relies only on a mathematical representation. It isn't possible for someone to reverse engineer your actual fingerprint image from this stored data.

Your fingerprint data is encrypted, stored on disk, and protected with a key available only to the Secure Enclave. Your fingerprint data is used only by the Secure Enclave to verify that your fingerprint matches the enrolled fingerprint data. It can’t be accessed by the OS on your device or by any applications running on it. It's never stored on Apple servers, it's never backed up to iCloud or anywhere else, and it can't be used to match against other fingerprint databases.

 

[p51d007]

We've been giving up our "privacy" since the first "smartphone".
No one ever reads the EOL's for the phone or software. The government wondered how to get private information,
what we buy, where we are etc? Heck, people give it up DAILY. Not only that, we tell everyone what we are doing
via twitter, facebook, snapchat, instagram et al.
Even home residential burglars have picked up on it when they see someone vacationing wherever, they look up their
facebook profile, easy to find out where you live and when you get home, BOOM! Things are missing...but...but...but...
we locked the doors, how did they do it? Because we give everything out, without even thinking about it.

I never understood why people want to just give out their fingerprints to companies like that. Or what was so hard about a pattern/number password that we needed a tech to read our biometrics to make a phone call? I really wish phone models came with options, like I could get the high ppi screen and nice camera without a metal body and without fingerprint/iris scanners.

With the gov demanding so much info from companies these days I would not be surprised if they gave the gov all the fingerprints and iris's in their databases. Now there won't be a choice in touching the fingerprint selling buttons because it will be embedded into the screen.

All I want is a non-invasive/intrusive cell phone. That is past 720p. I guess I will have to wait for the lower end phones to catch up. Its why I am still on my 4yr old LG Optimus G (G1). No real reason to upgrade.[/QUOTE

 

[Skjorn]

Secure Enclave
The chip in your device includes an advanced security architecture called the Secure Enclave, which was developed to protect your passcode and fingerprint data. Touch ID doesn't store any images of your fingerprint, and instead relies only on a mathematical representation. It isn't possible for someone to reverse engineer your actual fingerprint image from this stored data.

Your fingerprint data is encrypted, stored on disk, and protected with a key available only to the Secure Enclave. Your fingerprint data is used only by the Secure Enclave to verify that your fingerprint matches the enrolled fingerprint data. It can’t be accessed by the OS on your device or by any applications running on it. It's never stored on Apple servers, it's never backed up to iCloud or anywhere else, and it can't be used to match against other fingerprint databases.

Lol ok
I don't have a fingerprint sensor. I don't have that chip in my device. Is the kool-aid sweet enough?

 

[Burty117]

Lol ok
I don't have a fingerprint sensor. I don't have that chip in my device. Is the kool-aid sweet enough?

Ah I see, you're that kind of person, Well never mind, I was at least kinda hoping you would come back with some evidence of Apple selling our fingerprints but fair enough, troll be trollin

 

[Skjorn]

Ah I see, you're that kind of person, Well never mind, I was at least kinda hoping you would come back with some evidence of Apple selling our fingerprints but fair enough, troll be trollin

lol comeback with evidence of apple selling fingerprints? want me to tell you the list of the people on the CIA hitlist too? come on man, get real. companies lie about anything and everything, almost everything should be taken at the view of "ok now what HAVEN'T they told me"

 

[jtveg]

There are phones that have the fingerprint scanner on the side of the phone.

I personally think this is better than the front or rear.

 

[Skjorn]

There are phones that have the fingerprint scanner on the side of the phone.

I personally think this is better than the front or rear.

I like that better too. But the thing is there are only a few. Like I said phones with options would be ideal but probably very impractical to manufacture.