Questionable report claims Apple shipping 'influx' of next-gen iPhones with Touch ID on ba...
Confusion and misdirection for Apple's 2017 iPhone lineup continues to persist, with the latest claimed leak dubiously suggesting an "influx" of iPhone units with rear Touch ID sensors have been shipping. But there is plenty of reason to be skeptical about the latest claims.
Parts leaker Benjamin Geskin shared the details on Twitter on Wednesday, but even he showed skepticism toward the latest details. The image shows a pallet of smartphone front panels, featuring slimmer but not edge-to-edge bezels.
A note accompanying the image claims to be from a shipping company employee who allegedly does safety inspections on batteries. The person says they opened the box in question during a customs and safety inspection, and that the units were en route to Apple.
"Lately we've seen a huge influx of the iPhones with the Touch ID on the back, probably a few pallets per day," they wrote.
Geskin suggsted on Twitter that he does not believe the handsets pictured will be Apple's "iPhone 8." Instead, he tweeted a mockup of what he believes will be this fall's flagship "iPhone 8," featuring a truly edge-to-edge display.
"I hate getting these," Geskin wrote of the latest alleged leak. "But I think it's interesting for you to see."
Various leaks over the last few months have suggested that Apple could move the Touch ID fingerprint sensor to the back of the device on this year's iPhones. Doing so would allow for a larger display, but could also affect the convenience and ease of use of the current Touch ID home button implementation.
Schematics, mockups and leaked parts have suggested the new Touch ID location could be located underneath the Apple logo on the back of the handset. But because the images simply show a home button-like circle on the back, it's also possible that the design element could be something other than a Touch ID sensor, such as a contact point for inductive charging.
Responding to Wednesday's latest details, some on Twitter wondered if the leaks showing Touch ID on the back of the device could be for a so-called "iPhone 7s" model. It is believed that Apple will introduce three new iPhones this year: A flagship "iPhone 8" with an edge-to-edge OLED display, and an "iPhone 7s" lineup in sizes of 4.7 and 5.5 inches that will look largely the same as the iPhone 7 series.
No rumors thus far have suggested the "iPhone 7s" models will see major changes from the iPhone 7 and prior, which casts some doubt on the prospect of moving Touch ID to the back of the device.
Matters are even more murky with the "iPhone 8" after a pair of reports from earlier this week suggested Apple may ditch Touch ID entirely in favor of facial recognition. Using advanced cameras, Apple is said to be looking to replace the fingerprint sensing biometrics currently found on iPhones with a system that could identify a user's face, even when the phone is laying down on a table.
Apple's trio of new iPhones are expected to be announced in September, launching to customers this fall.
Parts leaker Benjamin Geskin shared the details on Twitter on Wednesday, but even he showed skepticism toward the latest details. The image shows a pallet of smartphone front panels, featuring slimmer but not edge-to-edge bezels.
A note accompanying the image claims to be from a shipping company employee who allegedly does safety inspections on batteries. The person says they opened the box in question during a customs and safety inspection, and that the units were en route to Apple.
"Lately we've seen a huge influx of the iPhones with the Touch ID on the back, probably a few pallets per day," they wrote.
Geskin suggsted on Twitter that he does not believe the handsets pictured will be Apple's "iPhone 8." Instead, he tweeted a mockup of what he believes will be this fall's flagship "iPhone 8," featuring a truly edge-to-edge display.
"I hate getting these," Geskin wrote of the latest alleged leak. "But I think it's interesting for you to see."
Various leaks over the last few months have suggested that Apple could move the Touch ID fingerprint sensor to the back of the device on this year's iPhones. Doing so would allow for a larger display, but could also affect the convenience and ease of use of the current Touch ID home button implementation.
Schematics, mockups and leaked parts have suggested the new Touch ID location could be located underneath the Apple logo on the back of the handset. But because the images simply show a home button-like circle on the back, it's also possible that the design element could be something other than a Touch ID sensor, such as a contact point for inductive charging.
Responding to Wednesday's latest details, some on Twitter wondered if the leaks showing Touch ID on the back of the device could be for a so-called "iPhone 7s" model. It is believed that Apple will introduce three new iPhones this year: A flagship "iPhone 8" with an edge-to-edge OLED display, and an "iPhone 7s" lineup in sizes of 4.7 and 5.5 inches that will look largely the same as the iPhone 7 series.
No rumors thus far have suggested the "iPhone 7s" models will see major changes from the iPhone 7 and prior, which casts some doubt on the prospect of moving Touch ID to the back of the device.
Matters are even more murky with the "iPhone 8" after a pair of reports from earlier this week suggested Apple may ditch Touch ID entirely in favor of facial recognition. Using advanced cameras, Apple is said to be looking to replace the fingerprint sensing biometrics currently found on iPhones with a system that could identify a user's face, even when the phone is laying down on a table.
Apple's trio of new iPhones are expected to be announced in September, launching to customers this fall.
Comments
ZZZZzzzzzzzz
There will be no Touch ID on the backside; it would be an acknowledged failure to place it there.
So, if Apple is relying on 3D Facial recognition, then it will have to be superior to Touch ID, and more secure.
Still, this is all rumors, so I'll be happy to be proven right or wrong when Apple actually announces said product, whatever it will be called.
Inductive magnetic snap-on port, ok though.
Touch ID is great cuz it works without concealing your face. Works in the dark etc. Face recognition is cool, but is it as safe? does it get it right even though your face is full of beard one day, and then not the next day? While you're continuously talking, or do you have to freeze pause and make a neutral passport face?
Apple has to do what it has to do. It they want to go full screen, and if the touch doesnt work under the screen, it goes on the back. Face Recognition is a far worse solution.
It might be ok, could get used to picking it up and running your index finger (it wont be the thumb for most people anymore). Actually I think the idea spot for that would be where the Apple logo is now.
i do hope I'm wrong. I'm just pointing out that historically, when rumours are this persistent, they tend to be true.
Except for the fact that the rumors are going back and forth regarding this issue and it seems to be split between "on the back" and "under the display".
People need to take into account that the "Home" button is a lot more than just Touch ID. Several functions need to find a new home (pun intended) if the "Home" button goes away...
1. Getting back to the "Home" screen.
2. Invoking Siri
3. Invoking Touch ID - not just for unlocking, but also for Apple Pay.
4. And there are other Accessibility functions (I triple click to bring up the magnifying feature). Not to mention it gives vision impaired people a physical button to jump to a starting point when things go haywire.
If we look at how Apple implemented Touch ID originally, we can probably guess what they'll do... We didn't have to do anything new to make use of it - They placed right where we already pressed our finger. And they'll do the same thing if the physical "Home" button goes away. It'll be in the exact same position it is now. The UI will present a software "Home" button and with 3D Touch they can add many of the same features simply by the "depth" of the press. (For the blind, they will make use of their "Taptic" engine to let them "feel" when their finger slides over the button.) Furthermore, with the fingerprint scanner under the display, they can make the scanning area larger.
But....we'll just have to wait and see how Apple does this. I don't really pay too much attention to iPhone rumors because they're so wishy washy anyways, as are rumors in general. I'd rather just wait until Sept/Oct when the damn thing comes out instead of getting my panties in a bunch over a rumor that will be contradicted the next day.
Either way, I'm gonna buy a new iPhone when it comes out regardless of what they come out with and I think many others will do the same. Apple kinda proved in a way that they can make bold decisions, such as removing headphone jacks and while there will be a few that whine and complain, the vast majority didn't care in the end and bought it anyways. This is what I like about Apple. They're willing to take risks and most of the time they succeed and sometimes they fail and a failure doesn't mean the company is doomed...it just part of taking risks, something most other tech companies don't do. They're followers, not leaders.
I don't think the sensor will be on the rear but agree that the most suitable position, if the rumour were true, would be where the Apple logo is now and it would be un-Apple to not place the sensor inside the logo. That is enough for me to doubt this rumour, along with the fact that underscreen sensors are already a technological reality and numerous manufacturers are said to have phones lined up with the tech for the end of the year.
Face recognition, if it's good enough, may even be preferable to Touch ID for routine unlocking. Apple has been learning 'raise to wake' patterns since iOS 7. They could easily implement 'raise to scan', so that by the time you're even looking at the screen it's ready to go, and you can just force press to unlock wherever your thumb happens to be on the screen. I never pick up my iPhone with my thumb on the Touch ID sensor. It's always a (slight) adjustment to put my thumb over the Touch ID sensor, then (a slight) readjust to engage the UI.
tl;dr:
Touch ID: pick up phone, adjust hand to activate Touch ID, readjust hand to engage UI
Face recognition: pick up phone, force press anywhere (that's it, no hand adjustments needed ..and no accidentally unlocking your phone before you get a chance to read your notifications)