Earlier in the day we reported that Apple could unveil the iPhone 5S in early September, and now Apple Insider claims that the next iPhone will have a fingerprint scanner. To be honest, the fingerprint scanner rumor has been doing the rounds for sometime, but this report states that it will be embedded in a convex sapphire home button.
The report cites a KGI analyst who states that Apple will use sapphire glass for the home button due to its resistance to scratches and Apple will use biometric technology from its AuthenTec purchase which was completed last year. AuthenTec is known to have capacitive and RF technologies in its biometric chips, a method that images fingerprints differently than existing optics-based systems.
More so, the report claims that Apple’s one-home button design is an optimal fit as it grants space for the extra sensor and since it will be convex it will seamlessly fit into the home-button design. Having said that, the button could also become more susceptible due to the extra component. Already, the home-button on the iPhone is the most damage prone part.The report cites a KGI analyst who states that Apple will use sapphire glass for the home button due to its resistance to scratches and Apple will use biometric technology from its AuthenTec purchase which was completed last year. AuthenTec is known to have capacitive and RF technologies in its biometric chips, a method that images fingerprints differently than existing optics-based systems.
The addition of the fingerprint scanner could keep the iPhone ahead of Windows Phones and Android smartphones in terms of security. It could also be used as a means for mobile payments or a safer means to access Apple’s cloud services like iCloud or iTunes.
