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

[Phil A.]

Walt Mossberg reviewing the S8 said that in his opinion all 3 biometric types didn't work very well (fingerprint was awkward and took too long, had to open eyes real wide for iris scan, and facial recognition didn't work for him), and so I think a lot of us will end up going back to typing in a code a lot of the time.

I got an S8 to supplement my SE and have found the complete opposite to be true: Fingerprint on the back is a bit more awkward than on the front but easy to find with a case on and reads my fingerprint first time about 95% of the time. Just touching the scanner unlocks the phone and goes to the home screen.

Iris scanning is sub-second and incredibly accurate (hard press the "home button" while looking at the phone and it instantly unlocks and goes to the home screen). I haven't tried face recognition because you can't have it on at the same time as iris scanning and iris scanning has been working so well I don't see the need to try an inferior option.

Given the option of a bigger screen and the fingerprint scanner on the back or a smaller screen with it on the front, I think putting it on the back is a decent trade off. Having said that, I think if anyone can get it working under the glass and provide the best of both worlds, then Apple can and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that's what they do

 

[The Game 161]

I got an S8 to supplement my SE and have found the complete opposite to be true: Fingerprint on the back is a bit more awkward than on the front but easy to find with a case on and reads my fingerprint first time about 95% of the time. Just touching the scanner unlocks the phone and goes to the home screen.

Iris scanning is sub-second and incredibly accurate (hard press the "home button" while looking at the phone and it instantly unlocks and goes to the home screen). I haven't tried face recognition because you can't have it on at the same time as iris scanning and iris scanning has been working so well I don't see the need to try an inferior option.

Given the option of a bigger screen and the fingerprint scanner on the back or a smaller screen with it on the front, I think putting it on the back is a decent trade off. Having said that, I think if anyone can get it working under the glass and provide the best of both worlds, then Apple can and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that's what they do

yep

used the s8 plus all of yesterday as my dad ordered it. Works perfectly with facial and iris scanning. FP scanner though is in a terrible position and i couldn't use that

in the middle of the phone wouldn't;t be that bad actually but i bet i would just use iris scanning more if apple did this. hardly the end of the world.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

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?

I use my phone in a wallet case, and this would be one more hole to cut out of it. Plus, with the fold of the wallet, it makes it a bit of a cumbersome way to use it.

 

[JM]

I don't want to be giving a sneaky reacharound to my phone whenever I want to unlock it. Pressing the home button or screen to unlock just works.

Let's not kid ourselves: if Samsung were able to build a fingerprint scanner into the display, they sure as hell wouldn't have put it on the back by the camera instead.

This wasn't a thoughtful or a user intuitive choice on their part. It was a compromise for a bezeless display, which ultimately only compromises one thing: the user experience. Now that's form over function.

Well, Apple is all about compromises nowadays.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Well, Apple is all about compromises nowadays.

Apparently Samsung is too.

 

[JM]

Apparently Samsung is too.

Lol. These two companies can't stop copying each other.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

Well, Apple is all about compromises nowadays.

Is that why Samsung put the fingerprint scanner on the back of their new flagship?

 

[Newtons Apple]

Just say NO!

 

[KeanosMagicHat]

Sounds like something Apple will do if they have no choice.

Would be a negative for me

They always have a choice, but I agree, it sounds like something the current Apple would do

 

[AsherN]

Just say NO!

View attachment 697035

To this, absolutely not. But just make the Apple logo the reader, that would make sense. Looks and function. Y=That logo is a pretty natural place for a finger to rest.

 

[buck1127]

I just don't think I would like how the cases would work. I also think the way I use my iPhone, it would be an extra step that I would likely not take. I'd probably resort to just putting in my pin.

The fingers I tend to use most would be oddly placed if I had to use Touch ID on the back.

I'm in agreement. I have big hands and hold the phone by its sides and touch id would be awkward especially when using Apple Pay. You add a lifeproof or otterbox case and I bet it renders it almost unusable

 

[andyw715]

Don't worry, I'm sure with the launch of iPhone 8, there will also be launch of Touch Dongle

I would give up edge to edge screen at the bottom to keep the current button.

 

[JManL93]

I would be fine with it. People will survive. Regardless whether the TouchID is on screen, on the back, or dropped entirely, Apple has to make its mind up soon. They have to start finalizing the design next month.

 

[DCJ001]

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

It is the kind of garbage that Android phones use.

 

[uwdude]

I got an S8 to supplement my SE and have found the complete opposite to be true: Fingerprint on the back is a bit more awkward than on the front but easy to find with a case on and reads my fingerprint first time about 95% of the time. Just touching the scanner unlocks the phone and goes to the home screen.

Iris scanning is sub-second and incredibly accurate (hard press the "home button" while looking at the phone and it instantly unlocks and goes to the home screen). I haven't tried face recognition because you can't have it on at the same time as iris scanning and iris scanning has been working so well I don't see the need to try an inferior option.

Given the option of a bigger screen and the fingerprint scanner on the back or a smaller screen with it on the front, I think putting it on the back is a decent trade off. Having said that, I think if anyone can get it working under the glass and provide the best of both worlds, then Apple can and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see that's what they do

So I guess you got an S8 specific case with a FP sensor hole in the back? I guess that would make it easier to find, but it should be easy to find without a case.

 

[Phil A.]

So I guess you got an S8 specific case with a FP sensor hole in the back? I guess that would make it easier to find, but it should be easy to find without a case.

It's a Spigen case that has a single cutout over the FPS, camera and flash. All I have to do is slide my finger from the left of the phone until it hits the gap. It's not as simple as if it was on the home button, but it's certainly not a deal breaker either (particularly as I find iris scanning so quick and accurate)

 

[dk001]

It's a Spigen case that has a single cutout over the FPS, camera and flash. All I have to do is slide my finger from the left of the phone until it hits the gap. It's not as simple as if it was on the home button, but it's certainly not a deal breaker either (particularly as I find iris scanning so quick and accurate)

Do you wear glasses or contacts?

 

[KillaMac]

i've used the one on the back of some android phones that I have owned (LG V20, LG V10), and I did not like it being on the back at all. Was a bit more of a pain. Especially with how much we rely on it on the iPhone, that is a bad choice. They would have to have a back button on the screen now like android does if they put it on the back.

 

[Phil A.]

Do you wear glasses or contacts?

Yeah - contacts and occasionally reading glasses. No issues with either

 

[dk001]

Yeah - contacts and occasionally reading glasses. No issues with either

That is great news!

 

[TMRJIJ]

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?

• Most people lay their phones on tables to can easily unlock their phones from there to use it. We shouldn't have to pick up our phones just to unlock it...then set it back down.
• Looking at most rumor renders of Touch ID, I can tell you right now that people's index fingers do NOT rest in that place. Our index fingers are usually left, right, or directly on the Apple logo. You'll have to 'bend' your finger towards to lower middle in order to use it which is very uncomfortable. Either make the logo the sensor or don't bother.
• Makes for a terrible design.
• Mounted in the car.... definitely not.

Honestly I don't care much about bezels (in fact I prefer them obviously because I don't like my fingers having to cover screen real estate or having the phone 'accidentally' registering presses on the screen). If they can't get Touch ID implemented into the screen, they shouldn't bother taking away those bezels. This is a true example of form over function.