The idea of Apple putting Touch ID and Face ID on an iPhone has been around for several years. And earlier this month, we saw a report by Bloomberg saying it could be the iPhone 2021 line to obtain both forms of biometric authentication. Now, a new WSJ report confirms that this may be the year that we will see Touch ID on the screen next to Face ID on the iPhone.
In September, we saw the most recent patent granted to Apple that covers Touch ID on the screen. However, Apple holds many patents covering this technology that we saw in 2016.
But 2021 could be the year that the Touch ID and Face ID sub-display on the iPhone will become reality. In October, we saw the high-precision leaker L0vetodream predict that the feature would arrive on the iPhone, but we don’t share when.
Then, in mid-January, Bloomberg, quoting Apple engineers, reported that Apple is testing Touch ID on the screen for this year’s iPhones. However, the report said it is not yet clear whether it will end in the production version or not.
Today, the WSJ corroborated Bloomberg’s report, saying that two former Apple employees confirmed that the company “is working on digital screen printing technology and has considered including Touch ID and Face ID on the same device”.
Overall, Apple is not expected to make other major changes with the iPhone 2021 line, so Touch ID and Face ID would be a very notable update, especially as the world is trying to overcome the pandemic and wearing masks is likely to continue a path to future. However, we heard some reports about Apple removing the Lightning port for the first time this year.
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