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iPhone 5S to Include Sapphire-Covered Convex Home Button with Fingerprint Sensor?

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MacRumors

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Apr 12, 2001
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KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has on a number of occasions offered accurate information on Apple's product plans, has issued a new research note indicating that the iPhone 5S may include a sapphire-covered convex home button housing a fingerprint sensor.

The iPhone's home button has had a concave shape since its introduction in 2007, but Kuo believes that moving to a convex shape would give Apple more space in which to fit the fingerprint sensor expected to be a differentiating feature for the iPhone 5S.
Convex home button creates space for fingerprint sensor; yield to improve. We think that a fingerprint sensor will be placed under the home button of iPhone 5S. However, assembling it could be difficult as the space under home button is limited as it already has to accommodate the Lightning connector, speaker and microphone. Thus, we think the shape of the home button could be changed from concave to convex to create more space for a fingerprint sensor.

Sapphire prevents home button from being scratched. A convex home button could be more easily scratched, so a harder material is required. We believe Apple will switch from plastic to sapphire, whose hardness is second only to diamond. Sapphire would protect the home button from being scratched and the fingerprint sensor from being damaged.
Click to expand...
Kuo goes on to note that Apple may have some advantages over its competitors as fingerprint sensors make their way into mobile devices, as Apple will utilize RF and capacitive technology from AuthenTec rather than the common optical recognition used in many other sensors, making for a more robust system unaffected by dust and other contaminants. The iPhone's iconic single home button also provides a natural location for a fingerprint sensor.

authentec_cross_section-800x507.jpg
Rumors of a sapphire-covered capacitive home button with fingerprint sensor surfaced in May, but the source for that report had essentially no track record upon which to gauge reliability.

Apple will reportedly unveil the iPhone 5S at a media event on September 10. Based on previous iPhone introductions, the iPhone 5S may launch within just a few weeks after that announcement. Apple is also rumored to be working on a lower-cost iPhone with a plastic shell, with that device perhaps also making an appearance at the September 10 event.

Article Link: iPhone 5S to Include Sapphire-Covered Convex Home Button with Fingerprint Sensor?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/08/10/iphone-5s-to-include-sapphire-covered-convex-home-button-with-fingerprint-sensor/
Exotic-Car Man

Exotic-Car Man

macrumors regular
Oct 29, 2010
138
0
USA
So with a convex home button, wouldn't that mean that when laid face-down, the iPhone would wobble from the extruding home button? I don't see that happening. Apple likes their devices to be flush and fluid as possible. The only main exception to this is the new iPod touch, but the iPhone is Apple's main flagship product now.

Edit: Apparently I need to justify myself because Steve Jobs has spiritually told multiple people that I am putting my phone down wrong. I only have a screen protector and no case on my iPhone 5, so when I place it face-down, it makes it easier for me to pick up.
 
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commander.data

macrumors 65816
Nov 10, 2006
1,057
183
Perhaps a convex shape would be helpful as well for the touch joystick functionality that the fingerprint sensor has also been reported to be suitable for? Better cursor scrolling and a dedicated joystick for games that doesn't cover the screen would be very useful.
 
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Redraider3403

macrumors newbie
Aug 7, 2013
2
0
Wouldn't placing the scanner on the home button lead to a bunch of accidental button pushes. Seem like that would be annoying.
 
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YourHerojb

macrumors regular
May 5, 2011
145
0
commander.data said:
Perhaps a convex shape would be helpful as well for the touch joystick functionality that the fingerprint sensor has also been reported to be suitable for? Better cursor scrolling and a dedicated joystick for games that doesn't cover the screen would be very useful.
Click to expand...

At least one person is thinking positively about this post. I would still rather it stay concave but this is a really cool thought. Even a concave "joystick" button would be alright with me, assuming apple would allow developers to control the touch input. As long as its not buggy.
 
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Roller

macrumors 68030
Jun 25, 2003
2,879
2,005
One month to go... surprised we haven't seen any leaked shots of the front of the 5S.
 
KUPARA

KUPARA

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2013
109
0
KieranDotW said:
That's one of the things that annoy's me about Samsung's Galaxy line.
Click to expand...

None of the Galaxy's has a CONVEX home button. Do you even know how a convex button looks like? Take a Playstation cotroller and see it yourself
 
JamonBull

JamonBull

macrumors 6502
Dec 14, 2009
268
520
Australia
I don't put much stock in what Kuo says anymore. He's been quite inaccurate this year. Also...a convex home button? That seems very un-Apple. We shall see...
 
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Olsonist

macrumors newbie
Jul 29, 2013
4
6
iPhone 5S

Fingerprint scanner? I don't want to pay for this.
12Mp camera? Not falling for that either.

Gimme LTE-A, 802.11ac, A7, better battery life, ...
 
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YourHerojb

macrumors regular
May 5, 2011
145
0
The only reason large screens should exist is to give the phone more room for better batteries and other hardware for specs, and the iPhone isn't really lacking in those categories.
 
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malnar

malnar

macrumors 6502a
Aug 20, 2008
634
60
Redraider3403 said:
Wouldn't placing the scanner on the home button lead to a bunch of accidental button pushes. Seem like that would be annoying.
Click to expand...
No one seems to be considering the possibility that the "home button" won't be a button (clicky-clicky button, I mean) but will instead be a touch-sensitive sensor that doubles as a fingerprint sensor.
 
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taylormmills

macrumors newbie
Jul 2, 2013
14
0
I am excited about this rumor. What will be interesting is to see how Apple sets the trend for a fingerprint sensor across the mobile market. This will be something that, if the customer thirsts for it, will take a while for competitors to catch up to. I like the thought of a fingerprint sensor on iPads, too. The final advantage of this feature will be security that provides the possibility to include mobile payment beyond Passbook.
 
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Ryth

macrumors 68000
Apr 21, 2011
1,591
157
No one cares about a 4.7 inch screen other then Andre the Giant.

People look stupid holding a 4.7 inch phone to their ear/head.
 
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Ryth

macrumors 68000
Apr 21, 2011
1,591
157
YourHerojb said:
Who cares about a 4.7 inch screen? The only reason large screens should exist is to give the phone more room for better batteries and other hardware for specs, and the iPhone isn't really lacking in those categories.
Click to expand...

I agree but my engineers at work both have iPhone and both really would like a larger screen for tech spec diagrams, blueprints, etc. For some it makes sense like these guys. But for most, the screen they have now is fine.

So yes, I still think 4.7" screens are dumb. But they can always make one for a sub-segment.
 
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joneill55

macrumors 6502
Sep 11, 2007
399
85
The current screen size is perfect for the iPhone 5 & future 5S.

Time for the 4.7 inch screen cheer leader squad to head to the Android land and stop beating that drum. So long, been good to know you :)
 
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Ryth

macrumors 68000
Apr 21, 2011
1,591
157
xNYMetsx said:
WHAT? There is so much room for improvement for the battery. I'd love a 24 hour battery! And let's get a quad core processor! ENOUGH of this "it's good enough" attitude, that's why the iPhone is failing.
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Failing huh? Android is down in the US when iPhone went up when it finally got on TMobile..Androids last bastion of a stronghold.

The only true comparison is carrier to carrier, country to country that carry both the iPhone and Android (and only similar Android phones to the iPhone, not their other thousand other POS) and that can only be done here in the USA for an accurate assessment.
 
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