in the spring would likely be the size of the current
iPhone 7/8 models.
It seems not unlikely that Apple will eventually
broaden its line-up to include smaller phones again.
After all, if you’re looking to appeal to customers
who aren’t currently buying your product, you could
do worse than filling a product gap that your line-up
doesn’t address.The sound of one finger tapping
Finally, there remains a persistent theory that Apple
will bring back Touch ID in its home button-less phones
by embedding a fingerprint sensor underneath the
screen, using an ultrasonic method developed by
Qualcomm. Some phones already on the market use
this technology, including Samsung’s Galaxy S10;
however the version Apple would theoretically use
would probably be more advanced, allowing users to
place their finger anywhere on the screen rather than
a specific spot.
I remain sceptical about this. While there are
still some circumstances where Touch ID is more
friendly than Face ID, they are vanishingly few.
Plus, the ultrasonic fingerprint technology is still
in early stages – the Samsung models that used it
initially had issues with screen protectors, which
could accumulate dirt and particles that might be
mistakenly recognized as a fingerprint.
More to the point, Apple is not a company that goes
backwards often; even the recent update to its MacBook
Pro keyboards was put forth not as a step back to the
old mechanism, but forward to a new, even betterinthespringwouldlikelybethesizeofthecurrent
iPhone7/8models.
ItseemsnotunlikelythatApplewilleventually
broadenitsline-uptoincludesmallerphonesagain.
Afterall,ifyou’relookingtoappealtocustomers
whoaren’tcurrentlybuyingyourproduct,youcould
doworsethanfillingaproductgapthatyourline-up
doesn’taddress.
Thesoundof onefingertapping
Finally,thereremainsapersistenttheorythatApple
willbringbackTouchIDinitshomebutton-lessphones
byembeddingafingerprintsensorunderneaththe
screen,usinganultrasonicmethoddevelopedby
Qualcomm.Somephonesalreadyonthemarketuse
thistechnology,includingSamsung’sGalaxyS10;
howevertheversionApplewouldtheoreticallyuse
wouldprobablybemoreadvanced,allowingusersto
placetheirfingeranywhereonthescreenratherthan
a specificspot.
Iremainscepticalaboutthis.Whilethereare
stillsomecircumstanceswhereTouchIDismore
friendlythanFaceID,theyarevanishinglyfew.
Plus,theultrasonicfingerprinttechnologyisstill
inearlystages– theSamsungmodelsthatusedit
initiallyhadissueswithscreenprotectors,which
couldaccumulatedirtandparticlesthatmightbe
mistakenlyrecognizedasafingerprint.
Moretothepoint,Appleisnotacompanythatgoes
backwardsoften;eventherecentupdatetoitsMacBook
Prokeyboardswasputforthnotasastepbacktothe
oldmechanism,butforwardtoanew,evenbetter