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What's up with all the hate with rear Touch ID?

Shirasaki

Shirasaki

macrumors P6
May 16, 2015
16,271
11,768
My finger is nowhere near any possible easy to access location in phone back. It always move from here to there. But front, current Touch ID location, always there, easy to access. When pickup a phone, it will work, always work.
Sometimes, only a few wise guys could figure out the best location for such a small detail.

In conclusion, I hate needing to scan my finger at the back.
 
J

joeblow7777

macrumors 604
Sep 7, 2010
7,195
9,040
LoveToMacRumors said:
Can't unlock phone when it's on the table.
Click to expand...

I'm not crazy about rear TouchID myself, but mainly because being on the front is what I'm used to, and interacting with the back of the phone seems weird, but I don't understand the "can't unlock while it's on a table" concern. Don't most people actually pick up their phone to use it anyway?
 
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JPack

JPack

macrumors G5
Mar 27, 2017
13,568
26,266
Some people can't deal with change. Other people simply can't comprehend that it's a good tradeoff.

For Apple, moving Touch ID saves them a huge amount of bezel space in the front.

Other people falsely assume you won't be able to unlock the phone while it's on the table.
 
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ThisBougieLife

ThisBougieLife

Suspended
Jan 21, 2016
3,259
10,664
Northern California
I like to hold the phone with one hand, use my thumb for touch ID, press the button and start using it. Now I have to awkward feel around for it (I used an LG G4, so I know what "button on the back" is like). Also, now the home button and TouchID will be separate? Will they allow touchID unlock without pressing the home button at the same time or will the touchID sensor also be a second button?

There are some legitimate reasons why this might suck besides "change is scary".

But regardless, if they do put it on the back, nearly everyone on this forum will buy one and it will be the best selling iPhone ever.
 
Royksöpp

Royksöpp

macrumors 68020
Nov 4, 2013
2,414
4,026
All the iSheep will buy it no matter what. As long as they have that validation in their lives. Plus it makes them feel cool to show off their expensive new toy at parties/work/school, etc..... Regardless of it's practicality.
 
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Böhme417

macrumors 65816
Mar 11, 2009
1,058
1,507
joeblow7777 said:
I'm not crazy about rear TouchID myself, but mainly because being on the front is what I'm used to, and interacting with the back of the phone seems weird, but I don't understand the "can't unlock while it's on a table" concern. Don't most people actually pick up their phone to use it anyway?
Click to expand...
I must not be "most people." If I'm at my desk (at work or home), I'll absolutely use my phone flat on the desk without picking it up.
 
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bushman4

macrumors 601
Mar 22, 2011
4,146
3,942
Not a logical place for a fingerprint scanner. Once the Samsung s8 is in people's hands that will be a major complaint. Reviewers are already calling it 'awkward'
 
8692574

8692574

Suspended
Mar 18, 2006
1,244
1,926
Was against it myself, then I bought an Android with touch sensor on the back, now I don't want it on the front anymore!

It is so confortable on the back to me that the inconvenience of rasing the phone when on the table (wich happens very little) is not an issue.

Plus with Apple Watch / Androidwear that auto unlock the phone is really a non issue anyway (heck my 19$ Mi Band can unlock the phone)!

People are afraid of changes, and even more afraid that what they defended their whole life is in fact false.... If the iPhone will move the Id to the back, after 3 - 4 month of bashing it will become the best choice Apple has ever made... some might even claim that Apple invented rear touch id :p

bushman4 said:
Not a logical place for a fingerprint scanner. Once the Samsung s8 is in people's hands that will be a major complaint. Reviewers are already calling it 'awkward'
Click to expand...
That is only because it is off center.....

It is actually more ergonomic, as the index fingers is around the center of the back of your phone anyways, while i have to move my entire hand and do some contorsionism on a 6+ for the thumb to reach down there....(but I might be "holding it wrong ;)")
Böhme417 said:
I must not be "most people." If I'm at my desk (at work or home), I'll absolutely use my phone flat on the desk without picking it up.
Click to expand...

Jobs would tell you "you are desking (invented i know) it wrong!"
Tim would tell you to buy an Apple Watch!
 
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pika2000

Suspended
Jun 22, 2007
5,587
4,903
There's only one occasion where rear Touch ID is alright. It's when you're holding your phone.
But so is front facing Touch ID since it is natural for your thumb to activate it. Further more, you can easily activate front facing Touch ID when the phone is laying down, or when the phone is in a car holder.

So front facing fingerprint sensor wins all. Believe me, I have an Android phone with rear facing fingerprint sensor. Although it feels fine at first, it ends up more annoying after a while.
 
Dave245

Dave245

macrumors G3
Sep 15, 2013
9,857
8,084
Because it's not a good place to put the fingerprint scanner/Touch ID, also i don't want Apple to be going the way of Samsung or any other Android device. The picture of the leaked schematic is a fake anyway https://twitter.com/OnLeaks
 
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Cascas0915

Cascas0915

macrumors newbie
Apr 20, 2017
5
1
Mikotiv said:
I have been reading the rumors about the next iPhone. And we all know the Touch ID might in the back, but macrumors' readers don't it like why? Sincerely why? I have used Phones like that and it seems a good place for a fingerprint reader, your finger naturally rest in that place and you almost never notice when the device unlucks. But I want to know why you don't like it. Because of the design? Because we really want a finger print reader under the screen?
Click to expand...


Not sure what all the negativity is about , change I guess. I could see apple put it in the back , in the apple logo, nicely hidden as a previous design point, that'd give the front a full screen.
 
R

recoil80

macrumors 68040
Jul 16, 2014
3,117
2,756
I unlock the iPhone many times while it lays on the desk and I'd need to pick it up in order to reach the sensor on the back.
Feature request: they could allow unlocking the phone via Apple Watch, just like they do on the Mac. TouchID would still be necessary for additional security like buying an app, but the simple unlock could be done when the AW is really close to the iPhone, I'd say less than 3 feet.
 
D

DaveOP

macrumors 68000
May 29, 2011
1,603
2,413
Portland, OR
mnsportsgeek said:
You clearly don't work at a desk.
Click to expand...
I do work at a desk, have both a S8 and iPhone for testing and development. I don't find myself ever doing this, the phones both quick charge and don't sit on chargers all day. I also have my Macbook Pro to work on, so I can get iMessage there and any other browsing needs. I guess you just use your phone at lot more at work than I do.
 
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gnasher729

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,566
It's easy, really. Given the choice between small screen and Touch ID at the front, or much bigger screen at same device size and Touch ID on the back, I will pick the bigger screen and Touch ID on the back.

HOWEVER Touch ID on the back IS a nuisance so if there is any way to make it work on the front screen under the display, Apple should absolutely do that.
[doublepost=1492693282][/doublepost]
recoil80 said:
Feature request: they could allow unlocking the phone via Apple Watch, just like they do on the Mac. TouchID would still be necessary for additional security like buying an app, but the simple unlock could be done when the AW is really close to the iPhone, I'd say less than 3 feet.
Click to expand...
Number of Apple Watch owners is much, much smaller than iPhone users. If you want that feature, I'd say "less than 12 inch"; so it works if you just pick up your phone with your Watch hand. 3 feet would allow someone to pick it up from my desk.
 
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Chris1138

Chris1138

macrumors newbie
Apr 20, 2017
2
0
Weber City
A couple of months ago, when the LG6 appeared and the rumors heated up, I started railing against Apple every chance I got. How dare they offer a limousine phone and then push out the same crap. However, now that the shock of the S8 is over, I find myself wondering if a REALLY want a "bezeless" phone so bad. I don't want one bad enough to pay $1000 for it, so do I want one bad enough to have a back fingerprint sensor? Increasingly, that looks like a no. Apple must improve their screens. Compare my 6 or my wife's 6s to my son's S7 and the difference is drastic. I know the 7 is better, but it is still lacking. As far as OLED goes, I'm still not sold that it is that superior to good LCD. In short, I think I'd rather have the sensor on the front, although the button could be smaller, and deal with some bezel.
 
TwoBytes

TwoBytes

macrumors 68040
Jun 2, 2008
3,217
2,187
A rear sensor won't allow me to unlock the phone on my bedstand. No, iris scanning won't work when it's dark or the phone is out of range.
 
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