Tianfeng International Securities’ reputed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo now has reason to believe Apple won’t use Touch ID technology in the 2023 iPhone 15 series and 2024 iPhone 16 models.
Earlier, the analyst claimed that Apple would bring back Touch ID for iPhone either in 2023 or 2024. In June 2021, Kuo speculated that Apple would use an under-display fingerprint scanner to bring back Touch ID in 2023. However, he took to Twitter to announce that a recent survey suggests iPhones coming in the next two years won’t use the fingerprint-based biometric authentication system.
Kuo believes Apple has made significant advances with Face ID in the form of features such as Unlock with Apple Watch and Face ID with a Mask. He believes these are “already a great biometrics solution” that rivals are still catching up to.
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.
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 30, 2022
In-display Touch ID would certainly have been a boon at the onset of the pandemic when Face ID refused to work if you were using a mask or face covering. As an immediate solution for iPhone users, Apple devised “Unlock with Apple Watch” — a handy feature that unlocked your iPhone if you were wearing your smartwatch. However, the system’s prerequisite was that one should have an Apple Watch and an iPhone. Later, Apple rolled out Face ID with a Mask with iOS 15.4. It scans the region near your eyes to authenticate you even when you have a mask on.
A combination of under-display Touch ID and the recent advancements in Face ID would have made upcoming iPhones incredibly practical and versatile, However, Kuo’s prediction suggests a tangible biometric authentication system on iPhone is at least two years away if Apple decides to revisit the technology at all.
Would you prefer a combination of Touch ID and Face ID or are you comfortable with the advancements Apple made with the latter? Tell us in the comments section.
