Rumor: Integrating Touch ID into 'iPhone 8' display remains Apple's 'biggest bottleneck'

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited April 2017
Apple is expected to introduce a number of new technologies in this year's anticipated flagship "iPhone 8," but it is the efforts to integrate the Touch ID fingerprint sensor into the handset's display that are apparently causing the company the most trouble.


"iPhone 8" OLED concept via iMore.


Citing his own supply chain field work, analyst Timothy Arcuri of Cowen and Company issued a note to investors on Wednesday, a copy of which was provided to AppleInsider, detailing apparent yield issues for the so-called "iPhone 8."

"For the 5.8-inch OLED version, the biggest bottleneck remains integrating an under-glass fingerprint sensor into the display --the current yield rate of Apple's in-house AuthenTec solution remains low and AAPL seems unwilling to use other vendors' products," Arcuri wrote.

If Apple cannot resolve these issues, he believes there are three possible solutions the company could adopt:
  • The first option, which he admits is unlikely is to ditch Touch ID and rely solely on facial recognition.
  • Apple could instead move Touch ID to the backside of the phone, as competing fingerprint scanners do, but Arcuri said this is not user friendly.
  • Finally, Apple could delay production, but announce the handset alongside the "iPhone 7s" series.
The analyst also referred to recent rumors that the 3D sensors expected to be included in the next-generation iPhone could cause delays, but Arcuri said he does not believe that to be the case.


'iPhone 8' concept rendering by Marek Weidlich.


Apple is expected to release three new iPhones this year, headlined by the "iPhone 8" with an edge-to-edge OLED panel featuring a 5.1-inch main area, with the rest dedicated to virtual buttons. Despite the jumbo-sized display, ditching the bezels is expected to allow Apple to squeeze a larger battery into a form factor similar in size to the 4.7-inch iPhone 7.

Apple is also expected to include a new 3D facial scanner that could enable biometric login via face or iris identification, as well as new augmented reality tools for developers. With a complete redesign expected, including a curved glass back with wireless charging, some reports have pegged the starting price of the "iPhone 8" at more than $1,000.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 29
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,808member
    How does the supply chain know what Apple is having issues with on a new iPhone (or any product for that matter)? 
    edited April 2017 SpamSandwichigorskyStrangeDaysRayz2016watto_cobrastarwars
  • Reply 2 of 29
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Doesn't sound like Acuri could possibly make up any of this, which means it must all be factual.  /s
    jbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 29
    qwweraqwwera Posts: 281member
    Samsung was allegedly planning on shipping it's new S8 with this new fingerprint technology, but ended up putting the fingerprinter reader on the back next to the camera.
    So other fingerprint tech vendors are in the same boat. 
    But again, it's analysts eating their own poop, there is no iPhone 8 slated for this year. They made this up wholesale. They pooped it, eat it and regurgitate it over and over.
    lkruppjbdragonwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 29
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    qwwera said:
    Samsung was allegedly planning on shipping it's new S8 with this new fingerprint technology, but ended up putting the fingerprinter reader on the back next to the camera.
    So other fingerprint tech vendors are in the same boat. 
    But again, it's analysts eating their own poop, there is no iPhone 8 slated for this year. They made this up wholesale. They pooped it, eat it and regurgitate it over and over.
    Careful. You might disturb the rumor gods. No iPhone 8 this year? Blasphemy! Apostasy!
    edited April 2017 watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 29
    franklinjackconfranklinjackcon Posts: 612member
    I don't see the reader on the back as user unfriendly at all. If the phone is almost bezel-less then it has a smaller footprint so even someone with smaller hands can reach it. I have a phone exactly the same height as the S8 and my finger naturally rests on the back next to the camera but slightly closer to the edge. Not sure it's as comfy on the S8+ which is bigger
    igorskyjahajaavon b7
  • Reply 6 of 29
    igorskyigorsky Posts: 755member
    qwwera said:
    Samsung was allegedly planning on shipping it's new S8 with this new fingerprint technology, but ended up putting the fingerprinter reader on the back next to the camera.
    So other fingerprint tech vendors are in the same boat. 
    I vehemently disagree with your assumption that because Samsung is having difficulty with this technology, that Apple must be having the same difficulty.
    jbdragonwatto_cobrapscooter63starwarsSoli
  • Reply 7 of 29
    jd_in_sbjd_in_sb Posts: 1,600member
    I doubt this issue remains unresolved this late in the production cycle.
    pscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 29
    teaearlegreyhotteaearlegreyhot Posts: 1,002member
    I wish there was another term that the tech reporting industry could choose besides the jargoney "flagship". Aside from being overused, the metaphor is stale and meaningless to most modern readers. I'd wager that fewer than 1% of AIs readers have even ever seen a military flagship. I'm sure AI can find a better descriptor for a brands top-tier product.

    For hackneyed wording, FLAGSHIP ranks right down there with "a REVAMPED line",  "a BEVY of new models" and "SPORTING faster chips".
    edited April 2017
  • Reply 9 of 29
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,311member
    sog35 said:
    qwwera said:
    Samsung was allegedly planning on shipping it's new S8 with this new fingerprint technology, but ended up putting the fingerprinter reader on the back next to the camera.
    So other fingerprint tech vendors are in the same boat. 
    But again, it's analysts eating their own poop, there is no iPhone 8 slated for this year. They made this up wholesale. They pooped it, eat it and regurgitate it over and over.
    You are correct. No iPhone8.

    But there will be an iPhoneX

    The new Sept line up will be:

    iPhoneX - $899 - new form factor
    iPhone 7s Plus - $769
    iPhone 7s - $650


    There will be no iPhone 8, or 7s for that matter. I think Apple is dropping numbers all together!!! Why does there need to be a number? Look at what Apple just did with the iPad. It's just iPad and iPad Pro. Go look at Apple's site. You just pick screen size. There's no numbers. Why do you need a number on the phone that only comes out once a year?

    My guess it'll be iPhone, iPhone Plus, iPhone Pro, and maybe a updated iPhone SE. See, not a single number needed. Now it's just the 2017 model iPhone and 2018 iPhone an so on. Apple also dropped X on MacOSX. Why do you need the X. It doesn't make sense. Much better just being MacOS. Internally there's still revision numbers of 10.whatever. Normal people really just don't care.
    edited April 2017 jahajaStrangeDayskevin keewatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 29
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    So what’s wrong with a physical button that would actually let you get out of frozen software, again?
    jbdragon said:
    There will be no iPhone 8, or 7s for that matter. I think Apple is dropping numbers all together!!! Why does there need to be a number?
    I said that six years ago, yet here we are. The iPhone 15s will be out in 2033.
    edited April 2017 MetriacanthosaurusSpamSandwichpscooter63
  • Reply 11 of 29
    rotateleftbyterotateleftbyte Posts: 1,630member
    franklinjackcon said:
    I don't see the reader on the back as user unfriendly at all. If the phone is almost bezel-less then it has a smaller footprint so even someone with smaller hands can reach it. I have a phone exactly the same height as the S8 and my finger naturally rests on the back next to the camera but slightly closer to the edge. Not sure it's as comfy on the S8+ which is bigger
    With it on the back, those of use who put the phone flat on our desk will have to pick it up to use TouchId. How is that better?
    My great plates of meat hands really find that using a control on the back of the device just does not work.
    Then when it is mounted on my car dash, using TouchID becomes impractical.

    I realy hope that Apple don't put any controls on the rear of the phone. If they do, they lose me as a customer until they come to their senses.

    bb-15SpamSandwichwatto_cobrawaverboy
  • Reply 12 of 29
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,064member
    jd_in_sb said:
    I doubt this issue remains unresolved this late in the production cycle.
    Something like this did happen to a version of the iPod touch. I have one with an odd looking covered case port on the back where a camera was supposed to go. It simply wasn't ready, and Apple shipped that version looking rather odd. Fairly, this ain't gonna happen on the flagship anniversary iPhone. 
  • Reply 13 of 29
    Eric_WVGGEric_WVGG Posts: 968member
    jbdragon said:
    There will be no iPhone 8, or 7s for that matter. I think Apple is dropping numbers all together!!! Why does there need to be a number? Look at what Apple just did with the iPad. It's just iPad and iPad Pro. Go look at Apple's site. You just pick screen size. There's no numbers. Why do you need a number on the phone that only comes out once a year?

    My guess it'll be iPhone, iPhone Plus, iPhone Pro, and maybe a updated iPhone SE. See, not a single number needed. Now it's just the 2017 model iPhone and 2018 iPhone an so on. Apple also dropped X on MacOSX. Why do you need the X. It doesn't make sense. Much better just being MacOS. Internally there's still revision numbers of 10.whatever. Normal people really just don't care.
    Seems inevitable. I can imagine there being an iPhone 8, 9, and maybe 10, but iPhone 11? No way. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 29
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Never heard of this guy, though the name seems to suit someone who makes a living reading tea leaves from the Apple supply chain.
    watto_cobrapscooter63
  • Reply 15 of 29
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    franklinjackcon said:
    I don't see the reader on the back as user unfriendly at all. If the phone is almost bezel-less then it has a smaller footprint so even someone with smaller hands can reach it. I have a phone exactly the same height as the S8 and my finger naturally rests on the back next to the camera but slightly closer to the edge. Not sure it's as comfy on the S8+ which is bigger
    Its moronic to fracking extreme. You lose an important function for another, if your willing to go for that idiotic tradeof, good for you.
    Metriacanthosauruswatto_cobrapscooter63
  • Reply 16 of 29
    MetriacanthosaurusMetriacanthosaurus Posts: 880member
    What is with you guys and continuing to perpetrate the absurd nonsense that Apple would EVER consider using facial recognition in a serious context like security? No, it will be used for a lot of "cool" things, but never security.

    -topic-

    You know what I hate most about about Touch ID being embedded in the display? Now people are going to try and succeed to awkwardly put their finger in the middle of the display when that Touch ID Alert Prompt appears.
    StrangeDays
  • Reply 17 of 29
    MetriacanthosaurusMetriacanthosaurus Posts: 880member

    tallest skil said:
    So what’s wrong with a physical button that would actually let you get out of frozen software, again?
    Absolutely nothing, I personally think it is really, really dumb.
  • Reply 18 of 29
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    sog35 said:
    Metriacanthosaurus said:

    tallest skil said:
    So what’s wrong with a physical button that would actually let you get out of frozen software, again?
    Absolutely nothing, I personally think it is really, really dumb.
    its called progress.

    People said the same thing about a physical keyboard on phones. Its time to move on
    Nah.
    pscooter63
  • Reply 19 of 29
    Mac_HighlanderMac_Highlander Posts: 1member
    I guess  this must be fake news at its best, we already have this working without any yield issues. So I'm sure some one with Apples resources are on track.  
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 29
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    sog35 said:
    qwwera said:
    Samsung was allegedly planning on shipping it's new S8 with this new fingerprint technology, but ended up putting the fingerprinter reader on the back next to the camera.
    So other fingerprint tech vendors are in the same boat. 
    But again, it's analysts eating their own poop, there is no iPhone 8 slated for this year. They made this up wholesale. They pooped it, eat it and regurgitate it over and over.
    You are correct. No iPhone8.

    But there will be an iPhoneX

    The new Sept line up will be:

    iPhoneX - $899 - new form factor
    iPhone 7s Plus - $769
    iPhone 7s - $650


    Maybe Apple will go a different route ... call it phone ;)
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