Touch ID could be returning with the iPhone 13, helping to deal with complicated biometrics in the COVID-19 era and the use of masks.
This is according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, which states that “two former Apple employees” said that Apple is considering giving its next iPhone Face ID and Touch ID. Such a change would mark a departure from iPhones only with Face ID, which started with the iPhone X of 2017 and is a feature in the current line of the iPhone 12.
But that doesn’t mean a return to the thick bottom frame of the screen, where the fingerprint sensor used to be on devices like the iPhone 8. Instead, Apple is supposed to switch to an on-screen fingerprint reader.
This is a feature that has been present on high-end Android devices for the past two years, but has not yet appeared on anything running iOS. Interestingly, Apple may not follow Samsung in using Qualcomm’s super-fast ultrasonic fingerprint detection technology seen on the Samsung Galaxy S21.
Although Qualcomm declined the WSJ’s request for comment, a former Apple employee said the company was working with optical sensors due to its perceived reliability in relation to ultrasonic technology. An Apple patent last year described how an optical sensor can detect fingerprints placed anywhere on the screen.
The source emphasized that any fingerprint sensor on the screen would have to meet the Touch ID security standards implemented on the iPhone SE, some iPads and some MacBooks.
The essence of the piece is that many of the new and exciting features of the iPhone 13 have already been seen in the excellent line of Samsung’s Galaxy S21, including a 120 Hz screen (probably called “ProMotion” as it is on the iPad Pro) and perhaps some type of ultra-zoom camera. However, the periscope zoom camera may not be available for this year’s iPhone 13.
While Apple can follow in Samsung’s footsteps, the resources above would present a large set of updates for the iPhone line. Given that the iPhone 12 Pro Max is already our best choice for the best phones you can get right now, these update rumors promise to deliver another stellar Apple smartphone.