Apple Rumored to Replace Touch ID With Facial Recognition in iPhone 8

BY Evan Selleck

Published 3 Jul 2017

The debate over what is going to happen with Touch ID continues into July, with several months before this no stranger to the topic.

According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly considering dropping Touch ID altogether from the iPhone 8, and instead opting to focus on 3D sensing and facial recognition for future iPhone 8 owners to not only unlock their iPhone and gain access to it, but also to authenticate payments:

“For its redesigned iPhone, set to go on sale later this year, Apple is testing an improved security system that allows users to log in, authenticate payments, and launch secure apps by scanning their face, according to people familiar with the product. This is powered by a new 3-D sensor, added the people, who asked not to be identified discussing technology that’s still in development. The company is also testing eye scanning to augment the system, one of the people said.”

Eye scanning is also included in the possible outcomes for the unannounced iPhone, all made possible to the improvements Apple is reportedly making to the front-facing camera. This is actually not the first time that we’ve heard this specific situation, where Apple is said to remove the fingerprint sensor in favor of camera-based security. Whether or not it turns out to be true, though, remains to be seen.

Interestingly enough, a report from earlier today, based on supply chain comments made to analyst Ming-Chu Kuo, also said that the iPhone 8 would ditch Touch ID altogether as well.

Something else worth noting in the Bloomberg report, is the suggestion that Apple may implement ProMotion into the future iPhone as well. ProMotion is the new feature that was included in the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro (and the updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro as well), which reduces motion blur and ups the display’s refresh rate up to 120Hz. The report indicates that a “Apple Neural Engine” chip will handle this.

Based on these latest rumors, what do you think of the possibility of losing Touch ID in the iPhone 8?

[via Bloomberg]