Under-display Touch ID on an iPhone is still coming, leaker claims

AppleInsider

Apple is continuing to work on display-embedded fingerprint technology and may release an iPhone with an under-the-screen Touch ID sensor in the future, according to a prolific leaker.

Credit: AppleInsider

Touch ID under the screen has been rumored for several years now, including by TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. But despite signs that Apple is continuing its development of display-embedded fingerprint sensor, those rumors have yet to materialize.

In a tweet on Thursday, however, serial leaker @L0vetodream suggested that Apple still plans on bringing Touch ID back to iPhones through an under-display mechanism.

MESA uts for iPhone

-- (@L0vetodream)

October 16, 2020

As fellow leaker Jon Prosser pointed out, "MESA" is an internal codename for Touch ID. "UTS" stands for under-the-screen.

"MESA" is Touch ID.

"uts" is "under the screen"

-- Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser)

October 16, 2020

Rumors of a fingerprint sensor embedded in an iPhone display first surfaced prior to the launch of the iPhone X. Although Apple opted for Face ID on its flagship iPhones since then, there has been a steady stream of patents and patent applications that indicate Apple is still working on display-embedded Touch ID.

Two July patent applications, for example, detail various methods to mitigate some issues involved in optical through-display fingerprint reading. Some Apple patent applications also suggest that the company has long wanted both Face ID and Touch ID on a single device.

There are also supply chain reports that suggest key Apple suppliers may be preparing to ship under-the-screen fingerprint recognition technology.

Kuo in 2019 forecast that Apple would release at least one iPhone with an under-display fingerprint reader in 2021. That could mean some type of Touch ID implementation on the iPhone 13.

Having both Touch ID and Face ID on an iPhone could offer several benefits for users, such as dual-biometric authentication for added security and the convenience to use a fingerprint if a user's face is obscured by a mask or another covering.

pulseimages

It’s what I’m waiting for and until Apple includes Touch ID/Face ID I won’t be upgrading. 

Xed

pulseimages said:

It’s what I’m waiting for and until Apple includes Touch ID/Face ID I won’t be upgrading. 

I can't say that I'm waiting for under-the screen or that I won't upgrade again if that never materializes, but I will say that if Apple had included any type of Touch ID in the iPhone 12 I'd be upgrading this year.

NotoriousDEV

My sentiment too. UTS is better; but would have settled for the power button implementation too. 

And even after researching and discovering I’d have to upgrade my AT&T plan ($20 extra/no). 

 said:

pulseimages said:

It’s what I’m waiting for and until Apple includes Touch ID/Face ID I won’t be upgrading. 

I can't say that I'm waiting for under-the screen or that I won't upgrade again if that never materializes, but I will say that if Apple had included any type of Touch ID in the iPhone 12 I'd be upgrading this year.

ralphie

Apple also needs to get under display camera/sensors going as well.  I won't upgrade until "that notch" is relegated to the history books.

frantisek

I hope for it long as well and as you said two factor authentication would be this way seamless.

For iPhone SE 3 it is only way to go i think. Otherwise they have to put touch ID into power button what is not that convenient in phone i guess.

MplsP

This would be awesome. COVID has managed to negate one of the best features of my Xs.  Even after the pandemic recedes having the possibility of dual authentication for increased security would be nice, too.

As far as a behind the screen camera goes, the notch is a big nothing burger as far as I'm concerned. i never notice it and the people who complain need to get a life as far as I'm concerned. If they can put the camera behind the screen, great, but not if they have to sacrifice anything to do it.

currentinterest

It's most likely to appear in a new SE in order to provide a low cost option that adopts a similar look the flagships.  It makes sense they would follow a similar model as they are with the new iPad Air. It may perhaps appear as a back-up for FaceID in the higher-end phones, but will not replace it.

Eric_WVGG

I just don't believe this one. The technology sounds hair-brained and of limited usefulness. 

If this was feasible, they wouldn't have bothered with the TouchID-in-lock-button solution for the iPad Air. I mean, yeah they would've got that button working in the lab, but it wouldn't have made it to product.

We see this over and over. Apple has a new keyboard design; they don't release it in one laptop, and a different keyboard in another. They pick what they think is the best solution and put it in everything, and then use the economy of scale to make the cheddar. 

Also, even though I kind of hate FaceID, I find myself missing TouchID most when I'm in a checkout line and trying to use Apple Pay. But you know what works better than an iPhone for that? The Watch. I want TouchID back too but really it's not that big a deal.

mike1

Eric_WVGG said:

Also, even though I kind of hate FaceID, I find myself missing TouchID most when I'm in a checkout line and trying to use Apple Pay. But you know what works better than an iPhone for that? The Watch. I want TouchID back too but really it's not that big a deal.

Whenever I hear this complaint, it seems that the user is under the mistaken impression that you need to be looking at the phone while you are holding it against the terminal. That is not necessary. You can double press the side button while the phone is against the POS terminal and then authenticate your face. Much more convenient.

Agree that the Watch is the best way to handle it, though.

SpamSandwich

Meh. Doesn’t matter if it’s not in the current generation.

tyler82

Get rid of FaceID and the ridiculous notch. 

rotateleftbyte

mike1 said:

Eric_WVGG said:

Also, even though I kind of hate FaceID, I find myself missing TouchID most when I'm in a checkout line and trying to use Apple Pay. But you know what works better than an iPhone for that? The Watch. I want TouchID back too but really it's not that big a deal.

Whenever I hear this complaint, it seems that the user is under the mistaken impression that you need to be looking at the phone while you are holding it against the terminal. That is not necessary. You can double press the side button while the phone is against the POS terminal and then authenticate your face. Much more convenient.

Agree that the Watch is the best way to handle it, though.

Face ID is not a lot of use when you are trying to pay for fuel while wearing a full face crash helmet especially the retro AGV ones. OTOH, taking one glove off is easy.

M68000

This feature alone is enough for me to upgrade phone.   It’s been on android units for a while,  it’s time to come to iPhone 

StrangeDays

tyler82 said:

Get rid of FaceID and the ridiculous notch. 

It's not ridiculous at all. For all I know you don't even have an iPhone, but it's fine. It's no more bothersome than the rear-view mirror in my windshield, I don't even notice it, nor have I since day 1 of the X.

StrangeDays

rotateleftbyte said:

mike1 said:

Eric_WVGG said:

Also, even though I kind of hate FaceID, I find myself missing TouchID most when I'm in a checkout line and trying to use Apple Pay. But you know what works better than an iPhone for that? The Watch. I want TouchID back too but really it's not that big a deal.

Whenever I hear this complaint, it seems that the user is under the mistaken impression that you need to be looking at the phone while you are holding it against the terminal. That is not necessary. You can double press the side button while the phone is against the POS terminal and then authenticate your face. Much more convenient.

Agree that the Watch is the best way to handle it, though.

Face ID is not a lot of use when you are trying to pay for fuel while wearing a full face crash helmet especially the retro AGV ones. OTOH, taking one glove off is easy.

And there are scenarios when taking bulky winter gloves off isn't easy, or your hands or wet. Trade-offs. The primary use case isn't designed for people wearing motorcycle helmets, lol

Beats

tyler82 said:

Get rid of FaceID and the ridiculous notch. 

Yeah get rid of one of the core functions of iPhone.

Get lost.

MacQuadra840av

ralphie said:

Apple also needs to get under display camera/sensors going as well.  I won't upgrade until "that notch" is relegated to the history books.

Three years later and no one is bothered by the notch.  I don't even notice it, and neither of the millions of iPhone users that have it.

MacQuadra840av

tyler82 said:

Get rid of FaceID and the ridiculous notch. 

Sorry you do not know how to use one of the easiest features of the iPhone (FaceID), and no one is bothered by the notch.  If you actually had an iPhone with the notch, you would not even notice it, just like the millions of others that do not mind it at all.

harry wild

I waiting for 120mhz screen refresh and side touch id.  If Apple cannot do 120mhz, I accept the 90mhz speed.

MacQuadra840av

TouchID was mediocre at best.  It rarely worked.  If the Home button was dirty, from touching it all day, TouchID would not recognize your print.  If your hands were dry or if you did any physical labor with your hands and scuffed them up, TouchID did not work.  Wearing gloves made TouchID useless.  TouchID in a power button is even worse.  One, the button is barely wide enough to recognize your print.  That is probably why it is on the thicker iPad so they could make the button thicker.  But how secure is it really when it is a thin rectangle instead of a larger circle to identify more of your print?  You will never see that in a phone because the button is too thin to recognize anything.  Second, the power button is a poor location.  I bet many will turn off the iPad Air when they authenticate.  Many people pushed the Home button to authenticate and left the app they were in because they could not seem to rest their finger on the Home button.  They always pushed it.

Granted COVID messed things up for everything.  We won't be wearing masks forever.  There will be a vaccine, just like every other disease we fought off.  When it comes to FaceID and the people that claim it does not work, they were setting it up wrong.  Just like TouchID.  People set up TouchID by placing their thumb perpendicular to the phone on the Home button to set it, and then when they used it, they naturally placed their thumb on it from a 45 degree angle and it never worked.  Once they set it up with how they naturally pressed the button, it worked.  Same with FaceID.  When it says to move your head in a circle, keep staring straight at the phone and maintain direct eye contact the entire time you move your head in a circle.  Do not look left, up, right, down to make a circle.  It is not reading your face that way.  Like when the eye doctor tells you to stare at the wall and move your head so he can watch your eye movement without losing site of the spot on the wall.  Do the same with FaceID by staring at the phone the entire time you move your head around in a circle maintaining movement with the green indicators, it will be set correctly and it will unlock every time, even in the dark, with glasses, with facial hair, etc.  It is super fast to unlock the phone by looking at it and swiping up, rather then trying to get your finger in the same spot when you set up TouchID.