Apple News Rewind: 'iPhone 8' Touch ID Placement Still Unknown
The Touch ID placement on the “iPhone 8” remains an open question as we head into mid-July. In other news, we’re starting to hear more about the 2018 iPhone lineup. Here’s our look back at the past seven days …
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Should we be worried?
It’s becoming increasingly likely Apple has elected to remove Touch ID from the front of the “iPhone 8.” Whether they’re placing the fingerprint reader somewhere else on the device or removing it altogether remains open to debate.
The latest batch of iPhone rumors began on July 3 with KGI’s Ming-Chi Kuo offering 10 predictions about Apple’s 2017 iPhone lineup. Among his predictions: The new device’s virtual Home button won’t support fingerprint recognition. Instead, the iPhone will include 3-D sensing for facial recognition and “improved selfie quality.”
A few days later, master leaker Benjamin Geskin took to Twitter and published a series of images purportedly showing Touch ID on the back of the display.
Bottom line: I remain unconvinced Apple would ditch Touch ID as we know it. Doing so could put Apple Pay in jeopardy just as it’s gaining in popularity.
What’s next. Watch for Apple to release a new round of developer and public betas as early as tomorrow, July 10. At the top of the list: iOS 11 beta 3.
Other Tech Headlines
Here are five other tech headlines from the past week:
- Is Amazon Prime Day When Prime Video Comes to Apple TV?
- Forget This Year, 3 New OLED iPhones Expected in 2018
- Report: Apple and LG Close to Finalizing an OLED iPhone Partnership
- Report: iPhone Sales ‘Steady’ Ahead of ‘iPhone 8’ Launch
- Apple News Third-Party Advertising Might Be Changing Dramatically
App Store Highlights, Reviews
Lots of games and apps made their debut on the App Store in the last few days. Find them under our Best New Apps of the Week and the Best Games of the Week sections.
During an abbreviated week, we also published three new game reviews, including:
Accessory News
As the final half of the year begins, be on the lookup for a steady list of new and reviewed gift guides. Among these:
- Perfect Accessories Apple’s New 2017 iPad Pro Lineup
- Rewind: Great Cases for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro
- iPhone 7 Cases For Every Type of Person
- Great Accessories for the Apple TV
Looking for more? More accessory reviews are arriving next week.
The Week Ahead
On July 11, MobileBeat 2017 starts in San Francisco, California.
Amazon Prime Day is Tuesday, July 11. Watch for sales to begin on Monday night.
AT&T Shape is July 14-15 in Los Angeles, California.