The iPhone 8‘s arrival is edging ever closer, and the already numerous rumours and leaks continue to mount.
Much of the hype surrounding the upcoming handset concerns the rumoured removal of the physical home button, which has been tipped to have been scrapped in favour of an almost full-face screen.
Which has many wondering just what Apple is planning to do with its Touch ID fingerprint sensor, which has thus far been embedded in the home button on previous handsets.
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While some have suggested the feature could be moved to the back of the phone, recent reports have suggested Apple is considering scrapping it altogether in favour of facial recognition technology.
That seems unlikely, and now, it looks even more unlikely as the latest iOS 11 beta has arrived complete with a major hint that Touch ID is here to stay.
iOS 11, the latest version of Apple’s mobile OS, is set to launch in the coming months, and will be the operating system for the forthcoming iPhone 8.
And a new video from 9to5Mac shows how the lock screen still displays the Touch ID icon when trying to access locked notifications.
It seems the feature is almost certainly returning on the iPhone 8, then, but just where Apple will place the fingerprint sensor is still very much uncertain.
Some have suggested the component will be integrated into the phone’s power button, while others have suggested Apple will be able to integrate the sensor into the phone’s actual display.
Whatever the case, a research note, seen by AppleInsider, from Jun Zhang of Rosenblatt Securities claims the “iPhone 8” will indeed retain the Touch ID element, but that this could cause delays.
He predicts the iPhone 8 won’t go into production until the end of September, with Apple producing 25 million units in September, and another 60 million in “the holiday quarter”.
It follows other predictions from analysts which have claimed Apple’s struggle to integrate the Touch ID element into the phone’s display has caused significant delays.
Either way, the new iOS 11 beta bodes well for the return of Touch ID, and at this point the feature looks very much set to stick around.
Let us know what you make of it all by tweeting us @trustedreviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
