Touch ID: Is The New iPhone’s Fingerprint Sensor Worth It?

Many iPhone users and potential converters are wondering if the new iPhone with fingerprint technology, the iPhone 5S, is worth its price. After all, the iPhone 5S looks and feels pretty much the same as the 5, even if it doesn’t necessarily work the same as its predecessor. But those who are willing to purchase the iPhone 5S when it sees its release date on Sept. 20 will quickly learn why.

The most intriguing thing about the latest iPhone is the way users will gain access to its contents: The iPhone 5S could be the death of the passcode. Say goodbye to remembering complicated number combinations, unless, of course, you’re the type of person who uses the same four numbers for everything (in which case, you're at great risk of being hacked). Either way, the iPhone 5S aims to put a stop to all that.

Have you ever wanted to gain access to your phone with just the touch of your finger or thumb? Now you can. A single fingerprint -- the owner’s fingerprint, specifically -- is all that's needed to get into the new device. So how does the iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor, which is being called “Touch ID,” work?

First, the home button is covered in sapphire glass, which puts it at less risk of damage or scratching, as sapphire is the second-hardest material next to diamond. The center of Touch ID is bound with a steel “detection ring” so the sensor can tell when the user’s finger is on the home button, which will then alert the Touch ID. The intriguing sensor can also keep a memory of several different fingerprints so access can be granted to select friends and family.

This also means that users will likely be able purchase things without ever having to enter a passcode. Instead, the iPhone will simply use one's fingerprint scan to authenticate purchases of apps, books and games.

The Touch ID sensor itself is 170 microns thin and capacitive, which in laymen's terms means that it’s highly sensitive to touch. The Touch ID has 360 degrees of readability and can scan sub-epidermal skin layers with its 500 ppi resolution scanner.

Besides the fingerprint sensor, the iPhone 5S is roughly twice as fast as its predecessor and its camera is a little better than in prior generations, but the Touch ID has got everyone buzzing. It’s a good time to try iPhone for those who are unhappy with their current mobile device, but even current iPhone owners may find themselves more willing to drop some spare cash on Apple's latest innovation.