Apple Readying Fix for Issues with Touch ID Fading

[2457282]

Although I have had some instances where I have to try 2-3 time to get it to recognize my fingerprint, I have generally found it to work well. At work we have to badge and fingerprint to get into the building and it works way worse than the touchID. I use this so much that when I use my wife's 5c, I sit there and wait try to get it to recognize my fingerprint several time before I remember that she doest have touchID on her phone. Always feel slightly embarrassed.

 

[iLog.Genius]

And I thought it was just dirt or oil on the home button. Don't know how many times I reconfigured it because it would stop reading the fingerprint.

 

[jrswizzle]

It works but Apple put a stupid requirement that if you haven't used TouchID purchase something within 2 days (or something), it will ask you for your password.

Which is asinine because, who buys something every other day from iTunes/App store? Also, if you have TouchID setup, you already have to unlock your iPhone (either with TouchID or passcode), so why wouldn't using your fingerprint work to purchase after you already unlocked your iPhone??

Ya, screw Apple for caring about your purchase security. They should just let you buy stuff without asking for ANY type of password or fingerprint. I mean, you already unlocked the device, so why not just bypass the password/TouchID everywhere!.....

Lots of needed sarcasm on this thread.....

 

[Kariya]

Touch ID is by far the worst mistake apple has made. It has caused more issue than it has solved.

 

[smizzle]

Awesome. I hope they can fix the issue with a software update. I loved Touch ID at first but over time it quit working so I had to turn it off.

 

[suprakc]

I don't seem to have many issues with mine.

Considering I probably scan hundreds of times every day, it only fails maybe 10 percent of the time, if that.

But to eliminate those few times is great!

 

[rablat]

We're all quite happy for you. Continue not using both of those features.

I, on the other hand, will continue to use both as they make for a more enjoyable smartphone experience.

Seriously? Your posts are what's useless.....

I couldn't have said it better.

 

[iLog.Genius]

If this update comes out as part of 7.1, I'm going to be extremely annoyed. I don't want to have to lose the jailbreak to only fix something so minor.

 

[wiz329]

Touch ID is by far the worst mistake apple has made. It has caused more issue than it has solved.

Letting trolls like you post on this site is by far the worst mistake Macrumors has made. It has caused more issues than it has solved.

 

[MultiMediaWill]

Letting you trolls like you post on this site is by far the worst mistake Macrumors has made. It has caused more issues that it has solved.

Letting wiz329 reply to my post on this site is by far the worst mistake Macrumors has made. It has caused more issues than it has solved.

 

[V.K.]

It works but Apple put a stupid requirement that if you haven't used TouchID purchase something within 2 days (or something), it will ask you for your password.

Which is asinine because, who buys something every other day from iTunes/App store? Also, if you have TouchID setup, you already have to unlock your iPhone (either with TouchID or passcode), so why wouldn't using your fingerprint work to purchase after you already unlocked your iPhone??

I suspect this might change in the future. Apple tried to be super careful in how touch id may be used and they were still slammed in the media because it's supposedly so insecure. The insanity seems to have died down - Samsung's fingerprint system in S5 is much more permissive and there hasn't been a peep against it. I expect Apple will expand touch id usage in ios 8.

 

[tbrand7]

I tried scanning my fist from frustration.

 

[FSMBP]

Ya, screw Apple for caring about your purchase security. They should just let you buy stuff without asking for ANY type of password or fingerprint. I mean, you already unlocked the device, so why not just bypass the password/TouchID everywhere!.....

Lots of needed sarcasm on this thread.....

Yes, twist what I said to make yourself sound cool! You're not the sharpest knife in the drawer...

If I have a passcode and Touch ID to unlock my iPhone, why can't I use my TouchID to purchase something exactly? So, I go unlock my iPhone with TouchID, now why can't I purchase something with it?

My issue is why does the option of using TouchID expire after 48 hours? It seems more like an oversight than security issue; remember when Apple made you type in your iTunes passcode for every app purchase you make in a row (now, they have that 15 minute window where you only have to type in your passcode one).

 

[nikhsub1]

My wife doesn't even use it, it just doesn't work for her at all... I find that (as has been mentioned) if your fingers are slightly wet from sweat it doesnt work. There are times when it just flat out won't work for me... I also find if you get swollen, from eating too much salt (think MSG) or whatever, it won't work either. Glad to see this being addressed.

 

[sjinsjca]

I use the touch sensor extensively. I experienced the fade, for me, the following trick works:

o Turn off the fingerprint sensor. Delete all fingerprint data.

o Re-enable the fingerprint sensor. Re-train it.


...For me, this fixed the issue, and it's stayed fixed.

 

[PsychoLogicXen]

The Touch ID reliability on my 5S dropped significantly in mid-December and it's been terrible ever since.

Just like the post says, deleting and retraining the same fingerprint only works for a little while, then it "forgets" it again. I really hope this update drops soon.

 

[taxiapple]

I stopped using it long ago.
Would be nice if it would work again.

 

[patseguin]

I haven't heard of this. I got my 5s when it came out and TouchID has worked flawlessly since.

 

[socbrian]

Are they ever going to fix the Twitter bug?

 

[Lepton]

I suspect this might change in the future. Apple tried to be super careful in how touch id may be used and they were still slammed in the media because it's supposedly so insecure. The insanity seems to have died down - Samsung's fingerprint system in S5 is much more permissive and there hasn't been a peep against it. I expect Apple will expand touch id usage in ios 8.

Right, I think this first go-round was to check its security with millions of users, any production issues, and so on. So they only allowed it to unlock their own products - the phone and iTunes. This year, I bet we will see it open up quite a bit. The end goal being online sales and to use it with iBeacon at point of sale terminals.

 

[rdlink]

Touch ID is by far the worst mistake apple has made. It has caused more issue than it has solved.

Wow. Exaggerate much?

Touch ID is fantastic. By far my favorite part of the 5S. Mine had gone into serious fade until a few weeks ago, when I had my iPhone swapped out. It has been working pretty much flawlessly since. In fact, early on (pre fade) I would have issues getting mine to work after I got out of the shower. Finger wrinkles would throw it off. Now it's much more reliable in that regard.

 

[allanfries]

Really??? News to me! After 2 months with my new 5S, I've never had a problem. Must be something in the air?

 

[VulchR]

Rather than add to the fruitless debate about whether touchID is useless, surely we all can recognise that Apple appears to think it can be made better. Good.

I would like to move the discussion to what might be going wrong. I wonder if there is some sort of issue with the way that Apple is creating the template against which the fingerprint is compared. I suspect they are experiencing drift due to the different positions and fingers and possibly confusing fingerprints from different digits. If so, it is possible that Apple will have to change hardware to reduce noise and to collect data from a greater surface area of the digit. If so, the next home button will be bigger.

 

[KdParker]

Is more a problem of fingers getting wet: think sweaty or recently washed.

I must have one of the perfect phones cause I never get a failure.

How many other people aren't experiencing this?

 

[Carlanga]

I bet the 'fix' would be to make the parameters less % match for successful unlock. I think the average person that has never dealt too much w electronics just fails to teach it properly.

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Touch ID is by far the worst mistake apple has made. It has caused more issue than it has solved.

lmao nOpE sorry try again.