iPhone 8/Plus Technical question for the really tech people

[cuzo]

Hi, I have a few friends who are keeping the older Touch ID enabled iPhones and I was thinking to myself I understand where they're coming from but since it's gotten phased out by Apple, what's gonna happen when all the developers stop working on Touch ID and shift completely to Face ID?

Like, for instance, let's say your bank decides to not waste resources on Touch ID development or maintaining the proper security protocols for encryption and switch to Face ID.

Will, you not able to log into your bank? Or for instance, will Touch be forced out once encryption standards aren't maintained anymore?

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

It uses the same security processing element. Basically, all the software developers needed to do was 'enable' FaceID, they don't need to develop or waste resources as you put it on developing for either, it's a feature provided from the API.

 

[cuzo]

thanks, I didn't know that. So basically touch ID will always be supported and that's good to know.

 

[A_Flying_Panda]

First I’m not a developer, nowhere near one. But i think most apps just use the API, so they don’t really care whether it’s touch or face. Good example is when iPhone X first came out, many apps are not updated to ‘support’ faceid. It will say ‘scan fingerprint’ or ‘use touchID’ in the app, but it will actually use faceID.

Basically, the apps just ask iOS, ‘hey i need bio-authentication’, iOS takes care of the actual authentication process and just tell the app, ‘hey, he passed’, or ‘no, it’s not him’.

 

[penajmz]

It’s basically like the phone decides what to use, developers don’t have to really develop for Touch ID. When Face ID was released the phone brought up the Face ID interface when something needed to be authenticated automatically.

 

[New_Mac_Smell]

Yes, think of it more as a security encryption feature - with different hardware applications. The end result is the same and will be developed, but the hardware to utilise it may change and adapt. The hardware is just the minimum security level acceptable to act as a convenience feature for unlock/payment. So TouchID and FaceID should have at least the same minimum level.

I would imagine eventually TouchID will be phased out, but right now and for the longterm foreseeable future it's just an option to enable it for developers. It's used on the MBP after all, which will likely evolve into FaceID for use on all Apple products but not for a long while yet.

Either way, don't worry. If you buy something today (iPhone 7) with TouchID, expect it to be fully usable for at least 7 years.

Another point is developers do not develop for these security measures, it's part of keeping it actually secure. There is no access to it, just a little flag to say "Use this".