Apple’s iPhone 15 is getting some vastly improved features, including a telescopic camera. But will secretly a feature we’ve been missing for years return, like … Touch ID? There’s quite a chance of that.
Several new features and changes are expected with the iPhone 15, including a USB-C port instead of Lightning and a Dynamic Island for all four models, not just the Pro versions. But what about Touch ID?
Touch ID on Apple iPhone 15: we missed you
Touch ID is a feature that Apple still uses on several devices, including the iPhone SE (2022) and iPads, but appears to have switched to the major Face ID-only models.
Nevertheless, there have been several lamentations over the years to bring it back. And in fairness, Face ID doesn’t work as smoothly as you might think in poorly lit environments.
So will the iPhone 15 or any of its brothers (the iPhone 15 Plus, the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max) get Touch ID?
Potting?
Touch ID is a security feature from Apple that uses fingerprint recognition to unlock iPhones and iPads and authorize purchases. Users can place their finger on the Touch ID sensor, which captures and compares unique biometric data to grant access to the device or complete payment.
Iconic way to unlock your phone
It was first introduced on the iPhone 5S. It offered a quick and convenient way to access the device without entering a password. Apple has since switched to Face ID, but Touch feels much easier.
Overall, people seem to be happy with Face ID, but there are still several Apple devices that include fingerprint sensors, most notably the iPhone SE. Incredibly convenient. And so now eyes are on the iPhone 15.
Moreover, Touch ID has so far been built into buttons. But it is possible that Apple will adapt the feature by placing a fingerprint sensor under a phone’s screen, as we see in many Android devices.
Will Touch ID get a new lease on life for Apple?
The short answer is almost certainly no. No recent leaks indicate the return of the feature and there is no real evidence that it is coming for the iPhone 15. Moreover, it seems Apple is going to put a dynamic island on every model of the iPhone 15 this year. So the company is sticking with Face ID, and Touch ID is still off the table.
The SE in hand (Image: Mark Hofman / WANT)
But hey, you never know. It’s not completely impossible. For example, there are Apple patents for under-screen fingerprint sensor technology.
MacRumors dove into an investigation. In it, Ming-Chi Kuo stated that it would be integrated under the screen in one or more iPhones to be released in the second half of 2023. So who knows, we may soon get fingerprint capabilities in addition to Face ID.
Face ID still leaves something to be desired if you wear a cap or glasses, for example. So touch is more than welcome on an iPhone 15 to make yet another “new” introduction.