Goodbye Touch ID? iPhones Go All-In on Face Recognition

Touch ID might be permanently removed from Apple’s iPhone lineup. The upcoming 4th generation iPhone SE and iPhone 16 series will feature Face ID instead of Touch ID.

However, the Touch ID for iPads appears to be preserved separately. Some speculate that Touch ID on iPads could also be permanently removed.

“Still Hoping for a Comeback?”… Hopes Surrounding Touch ID

Apple first removed Touch ID with the launch of the iPhone X series in 2017. The facial recognition system, Face ID, began to be installed in all models of Apple iPhones. The recently released iPhone 15 series also features Face ID.

However, the budget-friendly iPhone SE series was different. The first generation iPhone SE, which featured Touch ID, was first released in March 2016. The iPhone SE 2nd generation, released four years later, also adopted Touch ID instead of Face ID. The latest iPhone SE 3rd generation, released in March last year, also retained Touch ID.

Some have suggested the possibility of Touch ID returning in the next iPhone series. In October of last year, Mark Gurman, a reporter for Bloomberg, mentioned that Apple is trying to reintroduce Touch ID in future high-end iPhones, but it won’t be applied immediately. He predicted it would resemble the Touch ID on the iPad Air or iPad Mini.

Will Touch ID Disappear Forever in the Next iPhone?

However, a recent claim suggests it’s best not to expect the reintroduction of Touch ID. A Weibo account (手机晶片达人), known as a semiconductor expert, explained that no more iPhones featuring Touch ID will be released. He stated that Apple’s production of Touch ID sensors for iPhones has been completely halted.

The last Touch ID component released the previous year was used in the iPhone SE 3rd generation. Hartley Charlton, an editor at the Apple-specialized media outlet MacRumors, also predicted that there will be no Touch ID sensors in the upcoming iPhone lineup.

This change is also expected to apply to the next iPhone SE 4th generation. This coincides with the claim made by IT tipster Unknownz21 in August. He explained that the iPhone SE 4th generation could be the first SE model to feature Face ID instead of Touch ID. In addition, the iPhone SE 4th generation could also feature a C-type and an action button similar to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models. The exact release date is unknown, but MacRumors reported it would be after 2025.

Outlook for the iPhone 16 Lineup

The iPhone 16 lineup is expected to follow suit. The Weibo tipster (手机晶片达人) conveyed that the iPhone 16 lineup will not feature fingerprint recognition technology.

However, this news reduces the possibility of realizing under-display Touch ID. Unlike the conventional Touch ID installed in the button, under-display Touch ID places a fingerprint recognition function under the screen. Apple has shown interest in this through patents for several years. Earlier this year, it acquired a patent for an under-display Touch ID that can measure fingerprints and pulse and oxygen levels in the blood. In March, there were predictions that an iPhone equipped with an under-display Touch ID could be released in 2026.

Forbes, a U.S. economic magazine, viewed that under-display Touch ID technology will eventually be realized. Currently, most smartphone manufacturers have Touch ID systems for security reasons related to Face ID. There is speculation that under-display Touch ID might be necessary for additional security.

iPads Might Still Have Touch ID

While Touch ID has disappeared on iPhones, it is still used on iPads. Touch ID components will continue to be used on iPads, separate from iPhones. In other words, how Touch ID is used on iPads is unlikely to change.

Forbes also suggested that Touch ID on iPads could be removed shortly. However, there were no speculations that the Touch ID method on MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and iMac keyboards would change. More time will have to pass for a definitive forecast to emerge.

By. Choi Hyun Jung