Apple, for years, has always been the subject of rumors whenever a new iPhone is about to hit the market. This year, there have been a lot of rumors about an in-screen fingerprint scanner on the next iPhone, dating back to the pre-face ID days. But if we look into Apple's latest patent, it seems a confirmation that the company plans to bring back Touch ID in the near future... but maybe not that near.
A new patent published in Patently Apple shows that the Cupertino tech giant plans to embed pinhole cameras behind the screen of the phone. It should be capable of generating a 3D map of your fingerprint regardless of where you place your finger. While Apple replacing Face ID seems a far-fetched idea, at least for now, the new in-screen Touch ID has the potential to be used as form of biometric identification in order to improve the security of your phone.
But this move is not at all surprising. Apple has filed no less than five in-display Touch ID patents since December, including breakdowns with photography and information that reveals the tech will not just scan your fingerprint but 3D model it.
Some might wonder: why would Apple even think of bringing back Touch ID at the height of the Face ID's popularity? Well, the answer is quite obvious: the two mechanisms will work together. It gives users so much flexibility and allow the use of simultaneous dual biometric security, which is incredibly challenging to crack - a move which aligns perfectly with Apple's wider vision of iPhones replacing your passport.
What makes this all very exciting is that the patent shows pictures of an already working prototype, which means Apple has already made such progress in the development process. The thing though is, it likely wouldn't be ready to go into mass production until the 2020 cycle.
This is also the year Apple is rumored to be bringing 5G connectivity to the iPhone after reaching a settlement with Qualcomm to use its 5G chips. And 2020 can't come soon enough.
Meanwhile, the iPhone 11 has some major changes as well, that is according to rumors. Aside from reverse wireless charging and a three-way camera array on the back, an-in screen fingerprint scanner is to be expected as well.
There's talk about a wider 2020 iPhone, but at this point even Apple's recent confirmation of its 2019 models shouldn't set pulses racing. So, if you don't really need an upgrade, you might as well skip the 2019 iPhones and wait for 2020.
