Apple Possibly Reviving Touch ID For iPhone 11 Successor

Apple may be working on reviving one of its most secure authentication methods so that it can be used on future iterations of the iPhone.

According to Chinese news site Economic Daily News (via Cult of Mac), Apple will be meeting with Foxconn subsidiary GIS for the purpose of discussing components needed to equip next year's iPhones with an under-display fingerprint reader.

The “high-level” meeting, which is scheduled for next week, is where the two companies are expected to talk about putting an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor to the iPhone 12 series. This isn't the first time Apple will talk to other companies about the said feature; Cult of Mac noted that the Cupertino tech giant already talked with other tech companies about their fingerprint reading systems.

The new report confirms earlier rumors about Touch ID making a comeback on future iPhones. Previously, sources speaking to Bloomberg revealed that Apple was already testing in-display fingerprint reading tech both inside the company's premises and outside via its suppliers in other countries.

The same sources said the fingerprint reading technology will allow users to authenticate with their fingers on a wide area of the screen. This means users won't have to worry about not placing their fingers on the wrong area of the display. It will also allow users to unlock their iPhones easier.

Hello Touch ID

Apple pioneered the use of fingerprint scanning as an authentication method on the iPhone 5s. Since then, every iPhone model boasted of having the security feature – that is, until Cupertino decided to scrap it altogether and introduce Face ID on the iPhone X instead.

The technologies used for Touch ID took some considerable space in front of the iPhone. By replacing it with Face ID, Apple was able to widen the iPhone's screen estate. This, however, resulted in the notch.

An under-display fingerprint sensor, Cult of Mac noted, won't take up room on the screen. It will also allow Apple to remove or reduce the notch to a teardrop or punch hole.

All things considered, it's still too early to conclude if next year's iPhones will be all-screen devices. What's clear, though, is that they will come with a different look and will feature better specs than this year's flagships.