Apple is reportedly working on adding an in-screen fingerprint reader on the next iPhone. Since the iPhone X, all flagship iPhones have relied on the facial recognition technology FaceID for authentication purposes. FaceID is easy to use but in some cases, TouchID is much more convenient, especially when wearing a mask which is almost always now.
The iPhone 13 – if that’s the name Apple decides on – will have a fingerprint built into the screen. Smartphone makers such as Samsung and OnePlus have been using similar technology in their phones for some years now. It is a very well known practice of Apple to wait for a new technology to become stable before using it in their products.
TouchID and high-refresh rate displays
Apple was one of the first smartphone makers to bring fingerprint reading technology to the mass market with the introduction of the iPhone 5S in 2013. Since then, the company continued to use the tech in their flagship iPhones till 2017 – the iPhone 7. However, the company does use the physical TouchID sensor in its budget phones such as the iPhone SE.
The next flagship iPhones will also feature high-refresh rate displays. All major Android flagships already use 90Hz or 120Hz displays whereas the iPhone 12 continues to use a 60Hz refresh rate display. High refresh rate displays make everything seem smooth when scrolling, playing games, and more.
The iPhone 12 introduced 5G in the Apple world and it was reportedly one of the reasons why the company decided not to include high refresh rate displays. The high speed 5G connectivity network is known for using a lot of juice of the battery. If Apple had added high refresh rate displays, the iPhone 12 series could have suffered from bad battery levels. Apple is expected to find solutions to better manage power with its next flagship iPhones.
