14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is currently in talks with partners on what appears to be the return of Touch ID to the iPhone after the company dropped fingerprint sensors with the release of iPhone X.
According to reports from the Economic Daily News (here and here), Apple officials will meet GIS representatives next week to discuss such a project. Taiwan-based GIS manufactures touchscreen components and is one of the companies that could work closely with Qualcomm on building a fingerprint sensor embedded into the screen of the iPhone.
By the looks of things, the plan is to make this happen as soon as 2020 on at least one model. However, rumor has it that Apple could push it back to 2021 if the technology does not advance as anticipated, as the Cupertino-based tech giant is aiming for a much improved experience with in-screen ultrasonic fingerprint sensors as compared to the ones provided by the current implementations.
Face ID is here to stay
One priority appears to be equipping iPhones with a larger sensor that would increase the area users need to touch with their fingers to unlock the device. Qualcomm has recently launched a 30x20mm fingerprint sensor which according to the company is no less than 17x larger than the ones used by Samsung on the Galaxy S10. Qualcomm’s plan, however, comes in line with Apple’s and basically aims for the creation of a full-screen fingerprint sensor embedded into the glass.
This means devices equipped with such a fingerprint sensor would allow users to touch the screen anywhere to unlock the device, and iPhones could be among the first to boast such capabilities.
However, if Apple does bring back Touch ID, don’t expect Face ID to be removed. Most likely, the two authentication systems will be offered side by side, although people familiar with the matter indicate that only one model would get the fingerprint sensor next year.
Plans could change overnight, however, so it’s better to take this report with a healthy dose of skepticism until more leaks in this regard reach the web.