Code discovered in iOS 7.1 offers further evidence Touch ID is coming to Apple's next iPads
This year's anticipated iPad refresh is rumored to expand implementation of Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor beyond the iPhone, bringing it to the next iPad Air and iPad mini. Now, newly discovered code in the iOS mobile operating system offers further evidence in support of those claims.
Poking around in code for the Touch ID framework in iOS 7.1, Twitter user and developer "UNiCORN" found a reference to Apple's iPad lineup, potentially suggesting that the next-generation iPad mini and iPad Air may sport the company's fingerprint scanning technology. Currently, Touch ID is only found in the iPhone 5s.
The code for Apple's "BiometricKit" refers to the "UIDeviceFamily" with two identifiers: The number "1" for the iPhone lineup, and the number "2" for iPad. The integers refer to the entire product lineups, so the code doesn't make any distinction between, for example, a future iPad Air or iPad mini.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities indicated earlier this month that Apple's 2014 iPad Air and iPad mini updates will both boast the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. He also sees both tablets being powered by next-generation custom "A8" processors built by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
Kuo expects that the new tablets will debut either late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter of calendar 2014. He also expects a so-called "iPad Air 2" to feature an 8-megapixel rear facing camera.
Functionality of Touch ID also remains limited in its current state, only allowing users to securely unlock their iPhone or authorize iTunes purchases. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook has hinted that his company has big plans for Touch ID in the future, including the prospect of mobile payments on the iPhone.
Patent filings made by Apple also suggest that the fingerprint sensor could in the future enable multi-user support, by uniquely identifying a person -- a feature that could make it easier to share one iPad with a whole family. Touch ID is also capable of allowing for trackpad-like controls of a mouse cursor.
Poking around in code for the Touch ID framework in iOS 7.1, Twitter user and developer "UNiCORN" found a reference to Apple's iPad lineup, potentially suggesting that the next-generation iPad mini and iPad Air may sport the company's fingerprint scanning technology. Currently, Touch ID is only found in the iPhone 5s.
The code for Apple's "BiometricKit" refers to the "UIDeviceFamily" with two identifiers: The number "1" for the iPhone lineup, and the number "2" for iPad. The integers refer to the entire product lineups, so the code doesn't make any distinction between, for example, a future iPad Air or iPad mini.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities indicated earlier this month that Apple's 2014 iPad Air and iPad mini updates will both boast the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. He also sees both tablets being powered by next-generation custom "A8" processors built by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
Kuo expects that the new tablets will debut either late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter of calendar 2014. He also expects a so-called "iPad Air 2" to feature an 8-megapixel rear facing camera.
Functionality of Touch ID also remains limited in its current state, only allowing users to securely unlock their iPhone or authorize iTunes purchases. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook has hinted that his company has big plans for Touch ID in the future, including the prospect of mobile payments on the iPhone.
Patent filings made by Apple also suggest that the fingerprint sensor could in the future enable multi-user support, by uniquely identifying a person -- a feature that could make it easier to share one iPad with a whole family. Touch ID is also capable of allowing for trackpad-like controls of a mouse cursor.
Comments
Let me tell you how surprised I am....
....
Somebody still needs to explain to me why Touch ID is a big deal. I have it on the iPhone 5S, don't have it on the iPad Air and certainly would not base any future purchase on whether or not a device had Touch ID. Is typing a passcode or password really so time-consuming?
Yep, and annoying
Should've been in the last batch, hardly a surprise that it's coming in the new ones.
No it shouldn't have.
The iPhone is a much bigger money maker, and thus deserves temporary exclusive features to drive sales. The "only way to get Siri" was iPhone for a while, just like the "only way to get TouchID" was iPhone.
Once it has matured, it will comes to iPad. The iPad, as good as it is, is a second class citizen to iPhone. This should be understood and appreciated.
(and none of what I just said even begins to take into account that Siri and TouchID are both far more useful on iPhone)
Common sense and intuition is all the code we needed to know this.
That is what I thought. As soon as Touch ID was even rumored on the iPhone 5s anyone with sense knew it was coming to iPads as soon as Apple could make it happen. No code needed just good old common sense.
Somebody still needs to explain to me why Touch ID is a big deal. I have it on the iPhone 5S, don't have it on the iPad Air and certainly would not base any future purchase on whether or not a device had Touch ID. Is typing a passcode or password really so time-consuming?
Doesn't sound like any amount of explaining can break through this wall of pointless resistance.
It doesn't take much for most people to understand how great it is to still password protect your phone, but not have to enter it 100 x a day. Its simple and elegant...pick up the phone, wake it up with your thumb on the home button, and thats long enough for it to register your print and bring you in.
Plus, it is pretty frigging cool.
That is what I thought. As soon as Touch ID was even rumored on the iPhone 5s anyone with sense knew it was coming to iPads as soon as Apple wanted to make it happen. No code needed just good old common sense.
Fixed that for you.
While less of a security risk than my iPhone which goes everywhere with me, my mostly stay-at-home iPad is used for more sensitive things like financials so a bit more convenient security, as I've found Touch ID to be with my 5s, would be attractive.
Somebody still needs to explain to me why Touch ID is a big deal. I have it on the iPhone 5S, don't have it on the iPad Air and certainly would not base any future purchase on whether or not a device had Touch ID. Is typing a passcode or password really so time-consuming?
Perhaps I can suggest one reason. We try to limit our Son's use of our iPad by not giving him the pass code but even through we try to stop showing him the code he still works it out by watching us as we log on. I know we could always log on out out of eyesight but having a finger sensor would better. I can't understand why Touch ID was not included with the iPad Air. As soon as it does, then I am upgrading by replaving my existing 16 Gb iPad to one with more memory.
Should've been in the last batch, hardly a surprise that it's coming in the new ones.
No, it shouldn't have been - for a large multitude of reasons, if you actually took more than half a second to consider it. Among other things, it would be very irresponsible to add such a major new feature, which needs shitloads of testing, with security and reliability implications, to multiple product lines at once. If there IS a major issue, they just fucked over both the iPhone and the iPad.
A second reason is complexity of manufacture and availability of components- you have no idea if they would have been able to manufacture and integrate that many Touch ID components, to satisfy iPhone and iPad lines.
Thirdly- marketing. Having the feature on both the iPhone/iPad dilutes focus and marketing of the feature itself. iPhone is obviously the priority for such a feature, in terms of usefulness. Touch ID has now been tested with tens of millions of people, in millions of use case scenarios, and Apple can now take this data and make sure the implementation is the best it can possibly be on the iPad. The feature has gotten significantly more reliable simply through software updates.
Only someone who's single thought is I WANT IT NOW DAMN ALL CONSEQUENCES would hold the view you do. A rational human being would see that your "should have" demand is childish, short-sighted, and just plain wrong.
Somebody still needs to explain to me why Touch ID is a big deal. I have it on the iPhone 5S, don't have it on the iPad Air and certainly would not base any future purchase on whether or not a device had Touch ID. Is typing a passcode or password really so time-consuming?
Is that rhetorical? Are you seriously arguing that Touch ID makes it too convenient?? Entering even a 4 digit passcode every time to use a phone is the reason tons of people don't use even that minimal level of security. Touch ID makes securing your device very convenient.
Also, entering your passcode/password onscreen is a security issue that Touch ID solves. Someone just has to watch you unlock the phone once and they can now access it.
And if that doesn't convince you then just go stand in the corner with all the people writing down their passwords on sticky notes stuck to a monitor.
Let's not confuse "it being possible for Apple to add Touch ID to the previous iPad" and "Apple purposely leaving it out to give them an easy upgrade for the next gen iPad".
They do it all the time, it's good for the bank balance.
Perhaps I can suggest one reason. We try to limit our Son's use of our iPad by not giving him the pass code but even through we try to stop showing him the code he still works it out by watching us as we log on. I know we could always log on out out of eyesight but having a finger sensor would better. I can't understand why Touch ID was not included with the iPad Air. As soon as it does, then I am upgrading by replaving my existing 16 Gb iPad to one with more memory.
You know what? That is by far one of the best reasons I've seen. Unlike people simply whining about having to type a password because their attention spans are so short. Thanks.