Apple’s next-gen iPhone will ‘likely’ have Touch ID under the display

According to Barclays analyst Andrew Gardiner and three of his team, Apple’s next-gen “iPhone 13” models due later this year will “likely” feature a Touch ID fingerprint scanner embedded under the display for authentication alongside Face ID.

Joe Rossignol for MacRumors:

In a research note shared with MacRumors today, the analysts added that iPhone 13 models will feature a smaller notch and that the LiDAR Scanner will remain limited to iPhone 13 Pro models this year… Here’s the excerpt from the research note, with emphasis added:

For the coming iPhone 13 cycle in 2H21, we foresee a more tightly integrated version of the existing structured light system, which will enable the long awaited reduction in the notch. On the rear, we do not anticipate Apple to broaden the adoption of the Lidar 3D sensor beyond the Pro models.

For the 2H22 product cycle, we anticipate an architectural shift from structured light to time-of-flight, allowing for an even smaller footprint. Based on our industry conversations, we do not think structured light beneath the screen is likely to be ready for mass deployment in 2H22. We also view the adoption of fingerprint-under-glass, that likely is added in the 2H21 iPhones, as a structural headwind for additional 3D sensing content at Apple and could be the security feature of the future.

MacDailyNews Take: While we prefer Face ID (while hating the notch) to Touch ID, more choices of secure biometric authentication methods are better than fewer!