“The latest KGI report echoes an earlier one in suggesting that Apple may be planning to drop Touch ID and switch instead to ‘new biometric technologies,'” Ben Lovejoy writes for 9to5ac. “Some have taken this to mean that Apple may be replacing fingerprint recognition with something else, but I think this isn’t the case.”
Lovejoy writes, “Technically, Touch ID refers to the capacitive touch sensor Apple uses for fingerprint-recognition in its current devices, so a different type of fingerprint sensor embedded into the screen could easily count as ‘new biometric technologies.’”
“There have also been multiple rumors of some kind of facial recognition system. Some of these reports suggest that we might see it used alongside fingerprint recognition as an alternative, which would be absolutely fine,” Lovejoy writes. “If the phone recognizes our face, it unlocks immediately, if it doesn’t it asks for a fingerprint or passcode. Others are suggesting Apple will drop fingerprint recognition altogether, and it’s this I consider highly unlikely.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We concur. We doubt Apple would drop Touch ID (fingerprint recognition) if they introduce the ability to recognize faces. The two types of biometric security would live side-by-side.
Read that earlier report and thought it would be terrible to lose Touch ID. I don’t want to have to have to aim the camera at my face just activate my iPhone. How inconvenient and annoying!
Gee, the authorities, on arrest would just need to have a high quality photo of the person to display in front of the iPhone and voila, it’s unlocked. . ., oh, wait, a thief could do that too. No, I don’t think that would be a good idea.
The problem, if Apple even cares, which I doubt:
How to have a fully functional touch screen AND ALSO have Touch ID buried somewhere under the screen. That’s a PILE of tech to stack on top of one another.
We’ve been having this in-screen Touch ID rumor for years now. We’ve also been having the No-Home-Button rumor even longer. I suspect both ‘rumors’ are merely imaginary.
As for facial recognition, as long as it’s limited to ‘Something You Are’ multifactor authentication, then fine.
But when the marketing morons start shoving this tech in the shops and malls, they’ll know me/us by my/our Groucho Marx glasses or Anonymous Guy Fawkes masks. Have fun with that, marketing. 🙃