Rumor: Apple to feature sapphire crystal touch home button on 'iPhone 5S'
The fingerprint sensing home button rumored to be on Apple's next iPhone will be a capacitive touch-sensitive button covered by scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass, a new report claims.
The alleged details come from Taiwan's Technews.tw, in a report first highlighted by Cult of Mac on Tuesday. The rumor claims Apple will ditch the physical button found on all previous iPhones, opting instead for a touch-sensitive virtual button.
The unconfirmed report claims that Apple will utilize sapphire crystal glass because of its compatibility with optic sensors. Apple already utilizes a crystal glass cover to enclose the iPhone 5 rear camera.
The report noted that the physical home button on previous iPhone models has been problematic and prone to failure. But rather than ditch the home button entirely, it suggests that Apple will replace it with a touch-sensitive, non-moving part ??much like Apple did in replacing the scroll wheel on the original iPod.
The very first iPod made by Apple had a mechanical wheel that would physically spin around to allow a user to scroll. That was quickly replaced with a touch-sensitive wheel with the second-generation model.
By using sapphire crystal glass, Apple allegedly plans to prevent scratches on the surface, which could ruin the fingerprint sensing capabilities expected to be featured in the so-called "iPhone 5S."
Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in January that Apple was planning on including a fingerprint sensor under the home button of the "iPhone 5S." He gave no indication that Apple planned to ditch the physical button that can be pressed, however.
The alleged details come from Taiwan's Technews.tw, in a report first highlighted by Cult of Mac on Tuesday. The rumor claims Apple will ditch the physical button found on all previous iPhones, opting instead for a touch-sensitive virtual button.
The unconfirmed report claims that Apple will utilize sapphire crystal glass because of its compatibility with optic sensors. Apple already utilizes a crystal glass cover to enclose the iPhone 5 rear camera.
The report noted that the physical home button on previous iPhone models has been problematic and prone to failure. But rather than ditch the home button entirely, it suggests that Apple will replace it with a touch-sensitive, non-moving part ??much like Apple did in replacing the scroll wheel on the original iPod.
The very first iPod made by Apple had a mechanical wheel that would physically spin around to allow a user to scroll. That was quickly replaced with a touch-sensitive wheel with the second-generation model.
By using sapphire crystal glass, Apple allegedly plans to prevent scratches on the surface, which could ruin the fingerprint sensing capabilities expected to be featured in the so-called "iPhone 5S."
Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in January that Apple was planning on including a fingerprint sensor under the home button of the "iPhone 5S." He gave no indication that Apple planned to ditch the physical button that can be pressed, however.
Comments
no it's not.
Because of resolution concerns, lacks of different points of information and so on, it's easy to have many persons having the same fingerprints for cheap captors you have in laptop or mobiles. You can also fool them.
It can be convenient, but not secure for sure.
Does this mean that price of iPhone is going to get increased, while cheaper iPhone not really cheaper?
I disagree. The physical home button was the single greatest design achievements of the iPhone. But yes, sadly it has reliability issues, although I've never personally had one fail and I've owned all the iPhones. I'm as careful as it gets with my stuff, though. The home button should be more reliable.
Yes, having it be a capacitive concave thumb dip would solve any reliability issues, but I think the intuitive nature of it might be lost - though I'd love if I was proved wrong about that. It certainly might conceivably be given to far more accidental presses, which would be a hindrance.
One thing that does make sense about this story, however, is if they do add a fingerprint sensor to the home button, I see the fact that if it were to remain physically clickable as potentially confusing within that context. If there is no way to physically press the button down then the intuitive nature of holding your finger on the button to activate the unlocking fingerprint sensor would be very obvious. When the answer to the question of 'do you press it or not press it when holding your finger down?' is 'you can't press', then the question never arises.
Quote:
Originally Posted by oomu
"and a fingerprint sensor is a very secure, proven reliable form of security (especially when compared to facial recognition)."
no it's not.
Because of resolution concerns, lacks of different points of information and so on, it's easy to have many persons having the same fingerprints for cheap captors you have in laptop or mobiles. You can also fool them.
It can be convenient, but not secure for sure.
It´s extremely secure. We are not talking about a "fingerprint" datapoint, we are talking about a biometric scanner that measures a whole set of data points including thickness of skin, blood pressure, print pattern, etc. It is very secure indeed.
Huh?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chandra69
Does this mean that price of iPhone is going to get increased, while cheaper iPhone not really cheaper?
Nah, it will just be synthetic/industrial sapphire, not the kind a girl wears.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland
One thing that does make sense about this story, however, is if they do add a fingerprint sensor to the home button, I see the fact that if it were to remain physically clickable as potentially confusing within that context. If there is no way to physically press the button down then the intuitive nature of holding your finger on the button to activate the unlocking fingerprint sensor would be very obvious.
Yes, this story rings true for me too.
When it comes to iOS I can't contain my excitement. The wait is incredible. It's easily the most excited I've been for Apple since 2007.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland
One thing that does make sense about this story, however, is if they do add a fingerprint sensor to the home button, I see the fact that if it were to remain physically clickable as potentially confusing within that context. If there is no way to physically press the button down then the intuitive nature of holding your finger on the button to activate the unlocking fingerprint sensor would be far more obvious. When the answer to the question of 'do you press it or not press it when holding your finger down?' is 'you can't press', then the question never arises.
I disagree that it would make things potentially confusing, as depending on the implementation (and I trust Apple to do so) it could be completely invisible in practice to the user. During setup, a helpful guide tells you to just run your thumb across the button, doing the scan. When turning on your device through the home button every time after, the finger is automatically scanned and the system authenticates you until the device is reloacked with no interruption. The only issue is when people turn on via the power button, but then unlocking could just present the password screen as usual, with the text such as "If you are Ireland, press the Home button to unlock".
This is why it could be confusing. That's certainly an un-Apple solution, sry.
"...Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said..."
I hope for poor Ming's sake that he gets most of his predictions right because otherwise he's going to have to lose his ubiquitous trademark 'well connected' epithet.
I'm hoping for a laser powered fingernail trimmer on the home button.
the home button should go away for the same reason that the keyboard needed to go. It is useless mod of the time.
Give the same functionality to the power button or something to have a safe way out, but eliminate that and cram a bigger screen on it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland
I disagree. The physical home button was the single greatest design achievements of the iPhone. But yes, sadly it has reliability issues, although I've never personally had one fail and I've owned all the iPhones. I'm as careful as it gets with my stuff, though. The home button should be more reliable.
Yes, having it be a capacitive concave thumb dip would solve any reliability issues, but I think the intuitive nature of it might be lost - though I'd love if I was proved wrong about that. It certainly might conceivably be given to far more accidental presses, which would be a hindrance.
One thing that does make sense about this story, however, is if they do add a fingerprint sensor to the home button, I see the fact that if it were to remain physically clickable as potentially confusing within that context. If there is no way to physically press the button down then the intuitive nature of holding your finger on the button to activate the unlocking fingerprint sensor would be very obvious. When the answer to the question of 'do you press it or not press it when holding your finger down?' is 'you can't press', then the question never arises.
This may tell you did not use a single iPhone for a longer time. On longer runs, the Home Button causes problem - you end up pressing the home button very harder into the phone and you end up with no luck in seeing home screen.
[IMG]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/25038/width/200/height/400[/IMG]
We'll put that name to the test...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chandra69
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ireland
I disagree. The physical home button was the single greatest design achievements of the iPhone. But yes, sadly it has reliability issues, although I've never personally had one fail and I've owned all the iPhones. I'm as careful as it gets with my stuff, though. The home button should be more reliable.
Yes, having it be a capacitive concave thumb dip would solve any reliability issues, but I think the intuitive nature of it might be lost - though I'd love if I was proved wrong about that. It certainly might conceivably be given to far more accidental presses, which would be a hindrance.
One thing that does make sense about this story, however, is if they do add a fingerprint sensor to the home button, I see the fact that if it were to remain physically clickable as potentially confusing within that context. If there is no way to physically press the button down then the intuitive nature of holding your finger on the button to activate the unlocking fingerprint sensor would be very obvious. When the answer to the question of 'do you press it or not press it when holding your finger down?' is 'you can't press', then the question never arises.
This may tell you did not use a single iPhone for a longer time. On longer runs, the Home Button causes problem - you end up pressing the home button very harder into the phone and you end up with no luck in seeing home screen.
I wonder. Do you guys even know that blackberry live is live (lol) right now?
Only the verge is covering, no one else gives a damn anymore. No ads, no news, no rumours... Only the home button matter.