Touch ID on Apple’s iPhone May Be Gone for Good With Face ID Set to Become the Standard: Report

Apple’s currently available iPhone SE (2022) still utilises its older Touch ID solution for secure biometric authentication.

Written by Sheldon Pinto, Edited by Ketan Pratap | Updated: 23 November 2023 13:08 IST

Touch ID on Apple’s iPhone May Be Gone for Good With Face ID Set to Become the Standard: Report

Apple’s iPhone SE (2022) is officially available for purchase from Rs. 44,900 in India

Highlights

Apple has reportedly shut down machinery needed to make Touch ID chips
Most of Apple’s current iPhone lineup uses its Face ID authentication tec
Apple’s iMac and MacBooks still rely on Touch ID for authentication

Apple's Touch ID is still being used by its customers who recently purchased an iPhone SE (2022). However, it may be the last model to utilise the secure biometric authentication technology introduced with the iPhone 5s in 2013. The troubled Touch ID system, which was directly integrated into the all-important home button, was reliable in terms of accuracy but had its fair share of durability issues because it was a moving button until Apple replaced it with a static home button with the iPhone 7. The technology was then sidestepped by the introduction of Face ID with Apple's iPhone X, reducing the need for a home button altogether because of its new gesture-based software interface. Now, it seems that Apple is finally done with Touch ID and that it will not be making another appearance on any future iPhone.

First reported by MacRumors, a post on Weibo by an “integrated security expert” claims that Apple has shut down most of the original equipment it used to build chips for its iPhone Touch ID modules. It also mentions that only a few machines have been kept running to supply modules for the recent iPhone SE (2022) models, which still utilise the static home button with the integrated Touch ID system. This hints that Apple has no immediate plans to revive the technology used in its older iPhone models.

Apple has yet to update its last iPhone SE model, which still stands as the most affordable iPhone in some countries, including India. The smartphone was released in 2022 and is due for an update anytime soon as it offers little real-world value other than having the Apple logo at the back.

As per the rumour mill, the next iPhone SE (currently tagged as the iPhone SE 4) is said to have gotten a refreshed design (which would appear similar to an iPhone 14 and plenty more. A newer design would be a proper departure from the rounded and super slim designs of past iPhone models and would also see the old home button getting discarded entirely from Apple's iPhone range.

Apple is still expected to retain a single rear camera module with its upcoming iPhone SE 4, but it is expected to be a high-resolution unit, which will hopefully get some hybrid digital zooming capabilities. Older reports also hint that Apple could add its recently introduced Action Button with the new iPhone SE as well.

As for Touch ID on Apple's Macs and MacBooks, it's business as usual, as we have yet to see the first laptop from Apple with its Face ID authentication system built-in, even though Apple has adopted a display notch on its new and recently launched MacBooks. Other than its iPhones, Face ID is currently only available on Apple's iPad Pro tablet models (2018 onwards).

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Apple iPhone SE (2022)

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Powerful SoC
IP67 rating, wireless charging
Slim and light
Regular software updates

Bad
Small, low-res display
Gets warm when stressed
Average low-light camera performance
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone SE (2022) review

Display 4.70-inch

Processor Apple A15 Bionic

Front Camera 7-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel

Storage 64GB, 128GB, 256GB

OS iOS 15

Resolution 750x1334 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 14

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Good overall performance
Great camera quality in daylight
iOS ecosystem and ease of use

Bad
Dated design and notch
Very similar to iPhone 13
Relatively slow charging
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone 14 review

Display 6.06-inch

Processor Apple A15 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 16

Resolution 1170x2532 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Apple, Apple iPhone, Apple Touch ID, Touch ID, iPhone SE, Apple iPhone SE, iPhone SE 4, iPhone SE 4 design, Apple Face ID

Sheldon Pinto

Email Sheldon Pinto

Sheldon Pinto is based in Mumbai, and has several years of experience in reviewing smartphones and gadgets. As a Senior Reviewer at Gadgets 360, you will always find him deeply immersed in his reviews, switching from one phone to another. When the battery dies out, Sheldon is always browsing the web for a good sci-fi movie or reading up on cars and bikes. He also loves creating lists of interesting places to eat and travel. Sheldon is available on Twitter at @shellshocd, and you can mail him at ...More