Joanna Stern of the Wall Street Journal was able to gather some interesting data in a new article published in this medium. According to a former Apple employee who has remained anonymous, Apple was test a Touch ID sensor that can be housed under the screen of an iPhone. And we can see it in the next-gen models launched next fall.
MacRumors reflects that this sensor would go from being capacitive (like the Touch ID sensors present in the iPhone SE and the iPad Air) to be optical. In other words, a light source is needed to be able to create a reliable image of our fingerprint in order to identify us.
Face ID and Touch ID can coexist in one device
Apparently this way of detecting fingerprints, present in many models of Android devices, is less secure than the capacitive sensors of Touch ID. But the source claims that Apple reportedly found a safer way to use these sensors, achieving a level of protection and data encryption comparable to the rest of the company’s protocols.
In addition, this Touch ID sensor under the screen would share functions with Face ID: the iPhone 13 would have sensors for both authentication methods and the user can choose between one of them. In these times, Face ID can be perfect for being at home while Touch ID can take the reins when we are out on the streets and wearing the mask. Perhaps even Apple is implementing new authentication systems that combine Face ID and Touch ID, although this is something that is not yet supported by any rumors.
