The Apple iPhone 12 rumour mill is in action, and the return of the TouchID fingerprint scanner ... [+]
Apple’s latest iPhones come without the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, instead using Face ID for an extra layer of security. Personally, I prefer Face ID to Touch ID–which I found inaccurate, often forcing me to try several attempts to access my iPhone.
Of course now the iPhone 11 has launched, the iPhone 12 rumour mill is in full force, and it seems Touch ID could be back, but in a slightly different form. According to the Economic Daily News, a Taiwanese site that often covers Apple-related stories, the iPhone maker has arranged to meet with GIS, a Taiwanese manufacturer, to discuss the possibility of a smartphone with an under-display fingerprint scanner.
Due to appear in an iPhone released in 2020 or 2021, the fingerprint scanner in question is Qualcomm’s ultrasonic sensor and GIS would supply components.
The Qualcomm ultrasonic sensor is used in Samsung’s Galaxy S10 range, however, it was recently found to be suffering from a flaw, sparking rumours that it would be discontinued altogether on Galaxy S11 devices.
However, an upcoming version of Qualcomm’s ultrasonic sensor will apparently be larger, which should prevent the issues suffered by the Samsung Galaxy S range.
Qualcomm revealed its new 3D Sonic Max fingerprint scanner on December 3, measuring 20mm by 30mm–much larger than the 4mm by 9mm reader currently on the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10. In fact, it’s 17 times bigger, and can read two fingerprints at once, according to Engadget.
In September, Bloomberg reported that Touch ID might be returning to the 2020 version of Apple’s iPhone and this new report adds to the evidence.
Apple iPhone 12 fingerprint reader: Great for security
It’s a great move for iPhone security–biometrics are the perfect extra layer, especially if Apple gives users the option to have both Face ID and Touch ID.
Security researcher Sean Wright points out that providing users with choices can help in terms of security, as long as the options presented are rock solid. “I’m also hopeful that Apple performs refinement–which they are well known for–to prevent the significant issues we have seen in the past such as the problem with the embedded fingerprint reader on Samsung devices.
“Biometrics offer a viable alternative to passwords, and are one of the rare scenarios when improved usability doesn’t mean a sacrifice in security.”
ESET cybersecurity expert Jake Moore agrees: When it works, extra authentication is always going to be a good thing. “To most people, authentication can be an inconvenience which can cause them to bypass it, making accounts vulnerable. However, when it is designed correctly, it can have a huge impact on protection.”
Apple is certainly doing the right thing by considering a fingerprint reader on the iPhone 12. If it works, an extra layer of authentication is always going to make people more secure, even if they do choose to use Face ID instead.
