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skysailing

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 26, 2012
243
0
I just a read an article that talks about the fingerprint sensor in depth. It talks about the added security and how it can virtually change passwords forever, as well as being an amazing innovation on Apple's part. This could be the break that Apple needs considering people have been complaining about how Apple hasn't innovated anything. This could be iOS 7:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/01/16/home-button-fingerprint-sensor-in-iphone-5s-would-give-apple-a-new-leg-up-on-the-competition
 

r2shyyou

macrumors 68000
Oct 3, 2010
1,758
13
Paris, France
I just a read an article that talks about the fingerprint sensor in depth. It talks about the added security and how it can virtually change passwords forever, as well as being an amazing innovation on Apple's part. This could be the break that Apple needs considering people have been complaining about how Apple hasn't innovated anything. This could be iOS 7:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13...ld-give-apple-a-new-leg-up-on-the-competition

I'd be very interested to see their implementation...but 2 things:

  1. Apple doesn't need a "break"
  2. Apple didn't invent fingerprint sensors
If they do it well, though, it certainly wouldn't hurt them to add this.
 

Fanboi4life

macrumors 6502
Sep 16, 2012
327
197
Am I the only one who's not overly excited about a fingerprint sensor?

Gimmicky IMO...
 

ant the ninja

macrumors 6502a
Nov 21, 2012
616
712
This is just another completely pointless "upgrade" if you will. How many times in a day do you honnestly see yourself constantly scanning your finger unlock your phone? Waste of time and effort.
 

SR45

macrumors 65832
Aug 17, 2011
1,501
0
Florida
I definitely would like to have this as well, so yes you must be one of the few that is not exited about this ;) Any added security is always welcomed
 

KoukiFC3S

macrumors 6502a
Jul 4, 2010
536
1
The Motorola Atrix has one. Me and my buddy got this phone, and stopped using the fingerprint scanner once the novelty wore off.
 

r2shyyou

macrumors 68000
Oct 3, 2010
1,758
13
Paris, France
This is just another completely pointless "upgrade" if you will. How many times in a day do you honnestly see yourself constantly scanning your finger unlock your phone? Waste of time and effort.

How many times? I'd speculate that it'd be maybe somewhere around the amount of times that I currently input my passcode.
 

TSX

macrumors 68030
Oct 1, 2008
2,632
80
Texas
The finger print sensor is like 10 years old I've seen notebooks with it back in the day. Apparently it didn't catch on.
 

ThatsMeRight

macrumors 68020
Sep 12, 2009
2,289
251
Am I the only one who's not overly excited about a fingerprint sensor?

Gimmicky IMO...
I'd see much more in Senseg tactile feedback technology. It allows you to actually feel different textures: sandpaper, water, regular sand, rubber, coton, etc.

How great would that be? Imagine all the new games that would show up in the App Store. Imagine the great new possibilities for the visually impaired. Imagine the over-all added experience (for example: you can 'feel' they keys on the virtual keyboard, and if you push slightly harder you will actually push the key; a virtual keyboard, could be made into a simulated 'real' keyboard).
 

Dwalls90

macrumors 603
Feb 5, 2009
5,427
4,399
Am I the only one who's not overly excited about a fingerprint sensor?

Gimmicky IMO...

It's not gimmicky when you can use this sensor to do all of the following:

- Authenticate mobile payments
- Unlock your phone (no more passcode! Businesses will love this)
- Authenticate app store or itunes store purchases

The list can go on, but those are three NON GIMMICKY constant password required items that would be gladly replaced by a finger.

I just a read an article that talks about the fingerprint sensor in depth. It talks about the added security and how it can virtually change passwords forever, as well as being an amazing innovation on Apple's part. This could be the break that Apple needs considering people have been complaining about how Apple hasn't innovated anything. This could be iOS 7:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13...ld-give-apple-a-new-leg-up-on-the-competition

First it's not really that innovative, this technology has been around for a while, but not on mobile phones. Second, they don't need a "break", when you start taking breaks you have failed as an innovative company.
 

sdilley14

macrumors 65816
Feb 8, 2007
1,242
201
Mesa, AZ
It would be a cool and useful tool (as others have said, mobile payments, mobile banking apps, unlocking the home screen, etc.) but I hardly consider it a "game changer"...I can't imagine someone picking one phone over the other because of this single feature. It would be cool to have though if implemented well and if it works smoothly/quickly/consistently.

I don't lock my home screen because I check my phone 1000 times a day and I hate the idea of having to type in a password every single time. A quick scan of my finger to unlock it would be pretty cool though. But the moment it doesn't pick up on your print quickly and accurately and you have to rescan it, then if it doesn't work you have to type in your password...it would only take a couple times of that scenario to happen for users to ditch it entirely and just go back to the manual password entry method.
 

FSMBP

macrumors 68030
Jan 22, 2009
2,712
2,623
It's not gimmicky when you can use this sensor to do all of the following:

- Authenticate mobile payments
- Unlock your phone (no more passcode! Businesses will love this)
- Authenticate app store or itunes store purchases

The list can go on, but those are three NON GIMMICKY constant password required items that would be gladly replaced by a finger.



First it's not really that innovative, this technology has been around for a while, but not on mobile phones. Second, they don't need a "break", when you start taking breaks you have failed as an innovative company.

Wow, that would suck if you're in a situation where you need someone else to unlock your iPhone.
 

r2shyyou

macrumors 68000
Oct 3, 2010
1,758
13
Paris, France
Wow, that would suck if you're in a situation where you need someone else to unlock your iPhone.

Yup, it sure would. Same as if you were using your phone outdoors with 'smart' gloves. But if implemented in such a way that there was a passcode input option, such as the "Emergency Call" button on the current passcode screen, then that'd solve that.
 

pat park

macrumors 6502a
Nov 29, 2011
716
26
California
I play guitar and my fingertips get mangled sometimes. I even have skin peeling off at times. Will this work for me or will I be locked out of my phone?

What if I chop a finger off?
 

FSMBP

macrumors 68030
Jan 22, 2009
2,712
2,623
Yup, it sure would. Same as if you were using your phone outdoors with 'smart' gloves. But if implemented in such a way that there was a passcode input option, such as the "Emergency Call" button on the current passcode screen, then that'd solve that.

Wouldn't that negate having the finger-print scanner though? I'm just thinking out loud... It reminds me of when Google announced the facial recognition unlock feature.
 

ahfu25

macrumors 6502a
Dec 28, 2009
968
32
The finger print sensor is like 10 years old I've seen notebooks with it back in the day. Apparently it didn't catch on.

Wait for apple to implement it....it will be as if they invented it..lol
 

r2shyyou

macrumors 68000
Oct 3, 2010
1,758
13
Paris, France
Wouldn't that negate having the finger-print scanner though? I'm just thinking out loud... It reminds me of when Google announced the facial recognition unlock feature.

Not the way I see it, since it'd be a secondary option in addition to the fingerprint one.
 

Smartass

macrumors 65816
Dec 18, 2012
1,450
1,701
sure, everybody right now is all "who needs this its completely useles blablabla" and the day when Tim Cook says "We have integrated new outstanding technology into our new amazing iphone - fingerprint scanner. It's truly magical."
 
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vastoholic

macrumors 68000
Jan 28, 2009
1,957
1
Tulsa, OK
But the moment it doesn't pick up on your print quickly and accurately and you have to rescan it, then if it doesn't work you have to type in your password...it would only take a couple times of that scenario to happen for users to ditch it entirely and just go back to the manual password entry method.

This exactly. I had a fingerprint scanner on a Toshiba laptop that I bought in 2007. I scanned my thumbprint to store it and it worked maybe once or twice after that. I disabled the dang thing soon after.

sure, everybody right now is all "who needs this its completely useles blablabla" and the day when Tim Cook says "We have integrated new outstanding technology into our new amazing iphone - fingerprint scanner. It's truly magical."

Your username is very fitting. Most people on here are smart enough to know useless tech from everything else. Usually my reaction to newer tech like passbook/siri/dnd/whatever else they put out there is "Eh, I'll see how useful it really is when I try it."
 
Last edited by a moderator:

dojoman

macrumors 68000
Apr 8, 2010
1,934
1,089
Am I the only one who's not overly excited about a fingerprint sensor?

Gimmicky IMO...

If Apple implement it right I won't be gimmicky. How do you unlock your phone? By swiping the bar right? If they put fingerprint sensor behind LCD, fingerprint reading process is transparent to user. Just because the same feature on Android is useless it doesn't mean it will be for all. Let me guess... on the Android phone the sensor is separate module like back in the days from IBM laptop?
 

thewitt

macrumors 68020
Sep 13, 2011
2,102
1,523
The fingerprint tech that Apple bought is very advanced.

It can read through glass or plastic so it could simply be integrated into the home button.

It can read several layers deep in your skin, so surface damage does little to change readability.

It can detect whether there is blood flow in the finger or not - so no one could cut off your finger to unlock your phone.

With this, the passcode could become an optional unlock method. Add NFC and you have an extremely secure payment system which could easily incentivize credit card companies to push this technology to reduce fraudulent card use.

You could also automatically recognize different users and support different login accounts and access permissions.

Very cool enabling technology.
 

vastoholic

macrumors 68000
Jan 28, 2009
1,957
1
Tulsa, OK
If it's anything like the technology in the BAT/HIIDE system I used overseas, I will pass. Callused skin, cuts, etc almost made it impossible to get fingerprints sometimes that would be accepted by the system.
 

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