One Analyst Claims the 'iPhone 8' Could Ship Without a Touch ID Sensor
Could Apple ship the “iPhone 8” without Touch ID? According to one analyst, that’s a distinct possibility. That new information is from analyst Andy Hargreaves with Pacific Crest Securities, via AppleInsder.
Could also ship late
Hargreaves says that Apple has yet to finalize orders for the biometric technology in the new handset:
“At this point, we do not believe Apple’s optical fingerprint module provider has firm orders for production, which suggests Apple does not have functionality of the optical fingerprint sensor ready,” said Andy Hargreaves, an equity research analyst with Pacific Crest Securities, said in a note to investors on Monday provided to AppleInsider. “Additionally, we believe Apple has evaluated Synaptic’s optical fingerprint solution, but that it has not been qualified.”
Another possibility, according to the analyst, is that Apple is able to iron out the issues but that the new iPhone ships later than expected.
If the “iPhone 8” is without Touch ID, Apple would likely depend on other biometric technology including iris recognition or 3-D sensors. But that poses a number of issues regarding how Apple would allow users to make a purchase using Apple Pay, unlock their phone, and access other protected information on the phone.
Apple has also reportedly been toying with the idea of placing the Touch ID sensor on the rear of the handset. While not exactly a user-friendly, especially compared to its current position under the Home button, it would be a better option than completely ditching the popular and easy-to-use technology. And it’s more likely the route Apple would take.
More about Apple's 2017 iPhone lineup
If you’re interested in learning more about the next-generation lineup, make sure to visit our “iPhone 8” rumor roundup section that will be continuously updated until the handsets are revealed sometime this fall.
