Apple announces 'Touch ID' fingerprint scanner for iPhone 5S
As widely rumored prior to its announcement, the iPhone 5s will sport biometric fingerprint security with a new feature Apple is calling "Touch ID," a seamless mode of authentication built directly into the phone's home button.
The system is comprised of a flat sapphire crystal, stainless steel detection ring and fingerprint sensing array, all built into the tactile iPhone 5s home button.
Apple is looking to position the new technology as a smarter way to secure a user's iPhone, noting many device owners use simply passcodes or none at all.
The home button packs in a 500ppi sensor capable of scanning sub-dermal layers of skin from a variety of angles, resulting in a more detailed, three-dimensional map of a fingerprint. The technology is, according to Apple, able to recognize multiple fingerprints, indicating that it may be used to give specific permissions to specific users.
"All fingerprint [data] is encrypted," said Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller, "and secured inside a secure enclave. It's never available to other to other software. It's never uploaded to Apple's servers or backed up to iCloud."
Whereas the features of the iPhone 5C continually leaked up to Tuesday's announcement, the iPhone 5S remained something of a mystery. Only late into the run-up to its unveiling did the more concrete elements of the expected fingerprint sensor begin to emerge.
Just days before Tuesday's reveal, analysts were predicting that the addition of a fingerprint sensor would likely boost mobile commerce and give Apple a leg up in security.
Touch ID can be used for passcodes to unlock the device as well as for iTunes account access, perhaps a first step into mobile payment authentication. Multiple fingerprints can be recognized by the system, which will allow for multi-user access.
The fingerprint sensor module is thought to be the product of Apple's $356 million acquisition of AuthenTec in 2012.
The system is comprised of a flat sapphire crystal, stainless steel detection ring and fingerprint sensing array, all built into the tactile iPhone 5s home button.
Apple is looking to position the new technology as a smarter way to secure a user's iPhone, noting many device owners use simply passcodes or none at all.
The home button packs in a 500ppi sensor capable of scanning sub-dermal layers of skin from a variety of angles, resulting in a more detailed, three-dimensional map of a fingerprint. The technology is, according to Apple, able to recognize multiple fingerprints, indicating that it may be used to give specific permissions to specific users.
"All fingerprint [data] is encrypted," said Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller, "and secured inside a secure enclave. It's never available to other to other software. It's never uploaded to Apple's servers or backed up to iCloud."
Whereas the features of the iPhone 5C continually leaked up to Tuesday's announcement, the iPhone 5S remained something of a mystery. Only late into the run-up to its unveiling did the more concrete elements of the expected fingerprint sensor begin to emerge.
Just days before Tuesday's reveal, analysts were predicting that the addition of a fingerprint sensor would likely boost mobile commerce and give Apple a leg up in security.
Touch ID can be used for passcodes to unlock the device as well as for iTunes account access, perhaps a first step into mobile payment authentication. Multiple fingerprints can be recognized by the system, which will allow for multi-user access.
The fingerprint sensor module is thought to be the product of Apple's $356 million acquisition of AuthenTec in 2012.
Comments
But why didn't they demo this maybe key feature??!! Uncertain it would work?
Yeah, that's obviously why.
12 months for this? Stock price is going to get crushed.
"Stop eating so many chips, Dave. I can't read your fingerprint."
Come off it.
Man, was this disappointing or what? A year, they had a year and they come up with a fingerprint sensor that is good for nothing except unlocking you phone? This is all Apple is capable of? Really?
http://cheezburger.com/7790344192
/s
http://cheezburger.com/7790344192
Same as any other phone by any other manufacturer held by any other hand.
This is the best you idiots can do? Go back to trolling school.
The failnoters are out early today!
Looks like the analyst was right about the home button being convex, sort of... the ring looks slightly raised and the button although recessed, is not concave...at least from the look of these photos.
Man, was this disappointing or what? A year, they had a year and they come up with a fingerprint sensor that is good for nothing except unlocking you phone? This is all Apple is capable of? Really?
Uh, where were you? They came up with different colors. Surely that took a lot of thought. R&D budget hasnt gone up 400% in two years for nothing.
Man, was this disappointing or what? A year, they had a year and they come up with a fingerprint sensor that is good for nothing except unlocking you phone? This is all Apple is capable of? Really?
I share your "meh" feeling, but I'm guessing it will take Apple some time to get TouchID working flawlessly before they implement new APIs in iOS 7.1 or 7.2 or even 8.
New APIs would allow third-parties to access the scanner for other uses.
Man, was this disappointing or what? A year, they had a year and they come up with a fingerprint sensor that is good for nothing except unlocking you phone? This is all Apple is capable of? Really?
Get out more often.
It's a solid update. You want something that tries to do everything, but does nothing well go to Android. I'll take solid updates that actually work and enhance usability without being cumbersome any day. Outside, the appearance is the same. Inside, it's all different.
Sheesh... haters going to hate.
I too agree that it was a bit strange that this feature was not demoed. It's not like it would have taken somebody a long time to put their finger on the home button, so everybody could have seen how this feature works in the real world.
Definitely sticking with my iPhone 4S "unlocked / jailbroken"
Of course it will. The stock price is crushed for anything less than the full power of 20 Mac pros with a 4k level camera, 2000 level sensitive display, battery that lasts at least 1 month on a full charge no matter what you are doing, 15 size options and all for $100 off contract. And everyone is getting one in the first hour of launch day guaranteed.
Oh, I also shorted AAPL towards the end, so I'm sitting here smiling at the moment.
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Here come the AAPL panic sellers. Go get your asses out of this market! Hope you lost your shirts.
Thanks for telling everyone you don't understand what was released.