Well-connected KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple will abandon Touch ID entirely in its 2018 iPhones, opting to use Face ID instead for all models, 9to5Mac reports.
Kuo previously said Face ID’s fate was dependent on how users reacted to the feature in the iPhone X, but he now believes the device’s 3D sensing capabilities will be a “key selling point” for Apple, allowing the company to “capitalize on its clear lead in 3D sensing design and production for smartphones.”
The under-glass fingerprint scanner that had been rumored to be in the works — the only way to get a fingerprint scanner into the device while still getting rid of the home button for an edge-to-edge display — is unlikely to catch on due to the high cost, Kuo said.
Last week Kuo also predicted that Face ID is likely to debut in the iPad Pro next year, although he wasn’t willing to commit to all of Apple’s iPad models ditching the Touch ID sensor in 2018.