14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has long been rumored to be working on the return of Touch ID, but as far as the company is concerned, Face ID is the only biometrics solution that matters right now (except for the iPhone SE, of course, as a fingerprint sensor is still available in the home button of this 4.7-inch model).
However, people familiar with the matter said on several occasions that Apple was interested in bringing back Touch ID to modern iPhones, possibly with an approach that Android devices have been using for several years already.
In other words, Apple wanted to embed the fingerprint sensor in the glass, therefore allowing Touch ID to be offered alongside Face ID without any change in terms of design.
While this was expected to happen at some point in 2023, it looks like the company has changed its mind, with the latest information coming from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo indicating that Apple has pushed back the plans for this release for at least two more years.
No Touch ID on a modern iPhone anytime soon
The reason is as simple as it could be. The recent update for Face ID, which allows users to unlock their devices even when wearing a mask, is considered convenient enough for the majority of iPhone owners, so bringing back Touch ID doesn’t make much sense now.
“I previously predicted iPhones would support under-display fingerprint sensing/Touch ID in 2023 at the earliest. But the latest survey indicates new iPhones in 2023 & 2024 may not adopt under-display Touch ID. Face ID with a mask on iPhone is already a great biometrics solution,” Kuo explains.
Face ID will obviously be offered on the 2022 iPhones as well, though the company will reportedly kill off the notch on the Pro models, going instead for a punch-hole design that has the front-facing parts integrated directly into the glass.