Remember all of those rumours about Apple’s apparent plans to add an in-display fingerprint scanner to the iPhone? Brace yourself, because they’re back.
According to Patently Apple, biometric sensor suppliers O-film, General Interface Solution and TPK Holding are currently competing with each other to supply touch module parts for some upcoming iPad models.
The report claims that Tim Cook and co are planning to release updated versions of some lower-end iPad models, such as the iPad mini, in 2019. Apple will reportedly make a point of ditching the home button with these new models, in order to make them look as slick as the latest iPad Pro models.
However, they’ll feature in-display fingerprint sensors − a la the excellent OnePlus 6T − instead of Face ID technology, because the latter is the more expensive option.
Inevitably, talk has also turned to Apple’s 2019 iPhone plans. The company has long been rumoured to be planning to equip the iPhone with an in-display fingerprint scanner, but that just hasn’t materialised. Not yet, anyway.
Lots of people have been upset about Apple’s ditching of the home button, and releasing a cheaper iPhone model with an in-display fingerprint scanner instead of Face ID could be an easy way for the firm to win back some love.
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However, this is of course all speculative right now, and there’s not even any guarantee that an in-display fingerprint sensor will make it to the next version of the iPad.
The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S10 also looks set to feature an in-display fingerprint scanner. Samsung is believed to have been working to bring the technology to its flagship Galaxy line for some time, and it’s likely to be one of the handset’s headline features.
What are you hoping to see for from the next iPhone? Let us know on Twitter @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.
