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SciFiBrony

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 12, 2020
22
18
Why do all the Touch ID rumors for iPhone involve under-screen Touch ID? Why not embedded into the power button like the 4th Gen iPad Air? After all, Apple USUALLY doesn't do research and development and implement tech for a SINGLE product. It's usually implemented in other devices in the line and other product lines as well. Lightning, Retina display, Touch ID, H1/W1 chip.

I just can't see Apple giving the iPad Air power button Touch ID and not implementing that into something else as well. So if Touch ID were to return to the iPhone, why would it not be this way instead of under the screen?
 

now i see it

macrumors G4
Jan 2, 2002
11,257
24,288
Maybe there's not enough room inside an iPhone case to incorporate the electronics needed for a power button TouchID,
There's no credible rumor suggesting that a future iPhone will have under screen Touch ID. It's only been a hope
 

Saladin12

macrumors 65816
Apr 26, 2021
1,051
1,956
Why do all the Touch ID rumors for iPhone involve under-screen Touch ID? Why not embedded into the power button like the 4th Gen iPad Air? After all, Apple USUALLY doesn't do research and development and implement tech for a SINGLE product. It's usually implemented in other devices in the line and other product lines as well. Lightning, Retina display, Touch ID, H1/W1 chip.

I just can't see Apple giving the iPad Air power button Touch ID and not implementing that into something else as well. So if Touch ID were to return to the iPhone, why would it not be this way instead of under the screen?
If we apply what Apple has done re. their iPad lineup then I think we can see the Touch ID, in the power button, making a return in the SE rather than their flagship handsets.

I can see Apple redesigning the SE with no home button and reduced, but still thick, bezels, and the Touch ID function in the power button. Think iPhone Mini but with thicker bezels and no FaceID.

I would love for TouchID to return to their flagship handsets, alongside FaceID, and would love for it to be in the power button - but I think Apple doesn’t want that and sees it as an opportunity to differentiate between their lines and price points.
 

iZac

macrumors 68030
Apr 28, 2003
2,744
3,261
UK
I honestly want an iPhone mini with a hole punch and Touch ID button, so hopefully Tim will pivot the next SE into that especially for me. ?
 

subjonas

macrumors 603
Feb 10, 2014
6,266
6,744
Honestly I’d prefer Touch ID on the power button rather than under screen. It’s good to have that dedicated tactile place, not on the screen, to put your finger for Touch ID. It’s easier/nicer having that place that you can easily and knowingly touch even without looking. And more importantly, it may even prevent you from getting duped into paying for something.
One example, I play a game that when the round ends and you’re trying to quickly restart a new round, the game will randomly deviously switch out the regular “restart round” screen with an in-app purchase screen at the EXACT moment that it knows people usually press the “restart round” button, with the “buy” button in the exact same spot as where the “restart round” button was, basically blatantly trying to trick them into purchasing something. Of course, the purchase has to then be authenticated by Touch ID before it can go through, and thankfully I have yet to be so spaced out that I put my thumb on the Touch ID button to authenticate it. But I have come close in my late night zombie stupors. And if they are still doing this, then I have to believe they are successfully tricking a good amount of people. But if the Touch ID digital button/area were on the screen, where one’s thumb is already, then there’s a much higher chance that more people will inadvertently authenticate, probably me included. So I think because it would be too easy to authenticate, Touch ID should stay off screen. Just my opinion.

edit- now I wonder if the people that the game I play is successfully tricking are mostly Face ID users since I believe Face ID only requires an on screen button tap to authenticate. ?
 
Last edited:

Bacasable

macrumors regular
Aug 24, 2021
222
178
France
Thinking like Saladin12

the SE must have differential than Flagship.
And the punch hole design that preview Jon prosser for iPhone 14 feet more for an SE edition.

no faceid, touchid button, punch hole, new look and more atractive
 
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LFC2020

macrumors P6
Apr 4, 2020
16,874
38,038
Current US fingerprint readers aren’t up to apple standards, they’re rubbish, guessing why we aren’t seeing Touch ID in the power button, apple must be working on their own version of US fingerprint reader.
 
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Mega ST

macrumors 6502
Feb 11, 2021
370
512
Europe
The more mask wearing gets mandated everywhere, like in trains, I miss Touch ID on the 13. I don't want to have to remove my mask first in those environments every time I grab my phone. Thinking about getting the SE2 instead of the 13 but the storage size offered feels too small.

Do you guys think the upcoming SE3 might get Touch ID again? Or is this now some super complex below the screen project that will need time to be solved? Waiting for the 14 feels too long for me.
 

LiveWireless

macrumors member
Sep 25, 2013
86
51
personally I didn't mind, even loved the home button. I'd prefer just to return to a home button, maybe a bit smaller, at the bottom of the screen. I have not tried the 2FA that allows Face-ID w/mask + Apple Watch.
 
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