Report: Apple iOS 7 Beta 4 Includes Fingerprint Sensor

Apple appears to be prepping its next-generation iPhone with a fingerprint sensor.

Developer Hamza Sood tweeted the news on Monday, revealing that iOS 7 beta 4 includes a fingerprint sensor on the home button.

Sood posted a screenshot of the new "BiometricKitUI" folder (below), which contains code meant for users who've enabled iOS VoiceOver. The text inside indicates that a biometric sensor will be embedded into the phone's Home button.

According to an unnamed 9to5Mac source, the user interface for the fingerprint scanning system is complete; the technology is reportedly intended to help unlock the phone. It is unclear, however, whether the function will also be used for a rumored Apple payment system or be integrated into Passbook or other built-in apps.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Don't ditch your Android phone just yet — not all beta features make it to the final product, which will be released this fall.

Cupertino unveiled iOS 7 during last month's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), calling it "the biggest change to iOS since the iPhone." New details include flatter icons, a lock-screen-accessible notification center, and multi-tasking for all apps, among other updates to Siri, the camera, and iTunes.

Previous beta versions of iOS 7 have included iPad support and message upgrades.

Apple remains tight-lipped about upcoming hardware. However, an image floating around Chinese websites suggests the rumored low-cost iPhone might be known as the iPhone 5C. A labor report out of China yesterday, meanwhile, also tipped a cheaper iPhone.

These rumors come amidst reports that Apple is conducting in-house testing of larger iPhone and iPad screens, as well as the possibility of an iPhone launch delay due to the switch to a larger phone display.

For more, see Apple iOS 7 Beta 3: What's the Big Deal?, as well as Apple iOS 7: The Most Exciting Features.