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iPhone 5S to feature toughened convex home button with fingerprint scanner

Apple’s forthcoming smartphone revamp the iPhone 5S will feature a convex home button for the first time in order to facilitate a fingerprint scanner, according to reports.

One constant in iPhone, iPad and iPod touch design since 2007 has been the range’s concave home button. Put simply, it’s always been an ‘inny.’

Now, according to a report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple’s set to introduce an ‘outy’ with the iPhone 5S.

We’ve heard numerous rumours that Apple’s next top-end smartphone will feature a fingerprint scanner as its one major innovation, and this report only seems to confirm that. However, it also asserts that it will necessitate a change to one of Apple’s established design features.

According to Kuo, space is already at a premium underneath the iPhone 5 home button with the lightning connector, speaker and mic all housed around about. As the iPhone 5S will be very similar in design to its predecessor, something will have to give if Apple is to squeeze in an extra component.

The fingerprint scanner will be an advanced new security measure that allows you to unlock your iPhone with a touch rather than entering a code. It’s believed that it will slide in underneath this tweaked home button.

Apparently the new iPhone 5S home button will be formed of a significantly tougher material than previous versions in order to stand up the extra exposure it will have. Sapphire crystal is second only to diamond in the toughness stakes, and Apple already uses it on the front of the iPhone 5’s camera unit.

So, even if the iPhone 5S’s edges continue to chip and scratch like the iPhone 5’s, at least its newly protruding home button will remain unscathed.

We’ve recently heard reports that the iPhone 5S will launch at a special event to be held on September 10.

Read More: iPhone 6 Rumours

Via: 9to5Mac

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