One of the most important disadvantages of owning an iPhone during the coronavirus pandemic is the ability to use FaceID while wearing a face mask. Apple discontinued the fingerprint-based TouchID system in 2017, with the advent of the iPhone X, but a new report suggests the company could bring it back in a new format.
Apple’s replacement for the iPhone SE was launched last year, with the company’s A13 chip and TouchID physical sensor. That device was launched with the same design as the iPhone 8, which allowed plenty of room to incorporate that feature – not an option with the latest full-screen iPhones.
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However, according to MacRumours, who cites a research note from Barclays analyst Andrew Gardiner, it looks like Apple is going to bring TouchID back on the upcoming iPhone series. This time, however, it looks like the company will put the TouchID sensor under the device’s display.
While there are a number of other options available for the position of a fingerprint sensor, such as on the power button or on the back of the phone, being in the front and center of the sensor makes it easier to access, especially when the phone lying flat on the back. It also makes sense that Apple is adding these features now that the latest iPhone series has OLED screens. The company was always able to display their rumored display to indicate where the in-display fingerprint sensor is.
“We are also looking at adopting subwoofer fingerprints, which are likely to be added in the 2H21 iPhones, as a structured header for Apple’s additional 3D-sensing content and this could be a security feature in the future, ”the research note states. It is not known at this time whether Apple will use an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor or optical scanner on the upcoming iPhones.
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The report also states that the company could reduce the amount of noise we have seen from the iPhone X, thanks to a “more integrated version of the standard structured lighting system”. However, the analyst does not expect the LiDAR system in the background to make its way to the non-Pro versions this year.