Apple has been rumored for years that it is developing a technology that will allow under-display Touch ID for the iPhone. Now, reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is stating that this feature will not come for at least two years from now.
In a tweet he posted, Kuo is stating that Apple is unlikely to re-introduce Touch ID on the iPhone for the next two years, adding that Face ID with a mask is “already a great biometric solution.”
“I previously predicted iPhones would support under-display fingerprint sensing/Touch ID in 2023 at the earliest. But the latest survey indicates new iPhones in 2023 & 2024 may not adopt under-display Touch ID. Face ID with a mask on iPhone is already a great biometrics solution.”
Kuo previously noted that under-display Touch ID will return in at least 2023. Last year, we reported that the iPhone 13 would feature the biometric function and although that didn’t happen, we expected a re-introduction in a year or two.
Currently, Face ID on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 devices can work while wearing masks. The new update came with iOS 15.4. The new update also allows users to add glasses so they can unlock their devices while wearing masks and glasses at the same time.
Today, Touch ID on modern Apple products such as the iPad Air 4,5, and iPad mini 6 can be found on the power button. There is still the possibility for Apple to add the feature in upcoming iPhones until under-display technology’s needs are fulfilled.
Early patents filed by Apple in 2021 hinted at the return of Touch ID as an under-display biometric technology. However, due to the intense testing that the company is conducting, we do expect a long time until the feature comes back.
I previously predicted iPhones would support under-display fingerprint sensing/Touch ID in 2023 at the earliest. But the latest survey indicates new iPhones in 2023 & 2024 may not adopt under-display Touch ID. Face ID with a mask on iPhone is already a great biometrics solution.
— éƒæ˜ŽéŒ¤ (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 30, 2022