A Subtle Change Could Be In Store For The iPhone 5S Home Button
by Brent Dirks
September 6, 2013
The rumored signature feature of the iPhone 5S – a biometric fingerprint scanner - might help usher in a new look for the device's home button.
According to AppleInsider, a silver ring around the home button could possibly differentiate the biometric capabilities of the handset.
And Apple’s own pictured invitation for the special event on Tuesday, Sept. 10 has even helped to fuel the speculation.
Along with the many circles that most likely represent the color options for the lower-cost iPhone 5C, there are a few white circles surrounded by a silver exterior.
Earlier today, rumored images of the iPhone 5S’s final packaging were also published by a Dutch website. The authenticity of the photos is suspect at best, but it does clearly show a silver ring around the home button.
The first hint of a biometric sensor in the new handset was reported earlier this summer, and the chatter has only grown louder since then.
In iOS 7 beta 4, a developer found coded references to biometrics and pictures of users holding an iPhone in one hand while placing their thumb on the home button. The references were missing in the next iOS 7 beta version.
Since the beginning of the month, images of the purported sensor have also been published online showing a much more complex home button.
The biometric capabilities, and the new look for the home button, may eventually grow to the entire iOS line. Do you like the change?