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Apple's Touch ID is really genius

Rogifan

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Nov 14, 2011
25,659
34,371
I've been reading some early reviews/impressions of the HTC One Max, and the fingerprint scanner has not been a selling point. Device is too large, awkward position right below the camera and while it allows you to use it as an app launcher you can only use that feature on the lock screen. Two of the reviews I read turned off the functionality, with one comparing it to the Motorola Atrix.

HTC_One_Max_review_01-580-100.JPG


This is where I think Apple was genius with Touch ID in placing it on the home button. Unlocking the phone is easy and natural. No swiping required, just rest your finger on the home button and boom, unlocked. Genius.

One story I read claimed that HTC had a version of the One Max without the fingerprint scanner ready to go. So it makes me wonder if they rushed the implementation after Apple announced the 5S. Which would be a shame because I think this is very cool technology but poor implementation could swear people off of it.
 
I think you might be right.

Every time you read about Apple coming out with a new feature are device, it is something they have been testing prototypes of for sometimes 2-3 years. They really do research about the best way to implement a feature. While it seems sometimes that other companies just hang a feature onto the product just to say it is there.
 
Rich74 said:
Over-priced for what you get you mean?
Click to expand...

Yeah anyone that buys a Beemer or a merc is an idiot! They could of got the same thing by buying a Toyota. /s

(The above is sarcasm, hence the "/s" tag. Please stop replying to tell me that BMW > Toyota)
 
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syd430 said:
Yeah anyone that buys a Beemer or a merc is an idiot! They could of got the same thing by buying a Toyota. /s
Click to expand...

As a Toyota owner I disagree. You can get the same thing like 4 seats and a steering wheel plus navigation etc. However the level of implantation and quality isn't there.

I'd compare it a lot to Apple. There is a premium price for less product (smaller screen, smaller battery, no NFC, etc) but it's a quality product. There really shouldn't be people out there that can justify an iPhone but be baffled by someone buying a Mercedes.
 
syd430 said:
Yeah anyone that buys a Beemer or a merc is an idiot! They could of got the same thing by buying a Toyota. /s
Click to expand...

That's because no one owns a German car in Australia because of the import taxes

----------
cynics said:
As a Toyota owner I disagree. You can get the same thing like 4 seats and a steering wheel plus navigation etc. However the level of implantation and quality isn't there.

I'd compare it a lot to Apple. There is a premium price for less product (smaller screen, smaller battery, no NFC, etc) but it's a quality product. There really shouldn't be people out there that can justify an iPhone but be baffled by someone buying a Mercedes.
Click to expand...

I have driven BMWs for 20 years and the only one that gave me trouble was a blown light bulb
 
Rogifan said:
Which would be a shame because I think this is very cool technology but poor implementation could swear people off of it.
Click to expand...

Poor implementation just about sums up the entire Android / Windows 8 phone experience.... After using several of those devices I would never buy one for myself even though I am dying for a larger screen.
 
Apple doesn't usually rush hardware to market, so it is fluid when released.

Software is a different matter, but they know they can patch software over time. You can't do that with hardware.
 
BigHonkingDeal said:
Poor implementation just about sums up the entire Android / Windows 8 phone experience.... After using several of those devices I would never buy one for myself even though I am dying for a larger screen.
Click to expand...

And why put it on the bottom of the device? I have my iPhone lying on a table or on my desk most of the time. With touch id you don't have to pick up your device to unlock it. And since you can wake from sleep and unlock using the home button it really doesn't feel like an extra step. Plus having the fp scanner on the back of the device I'd be more worried about it getting damaged. Poor implementation makes me wonder if HTC wasn't sure whether they would use it or not and only decided to pull the trigger after the 5S came out.
 
Rogifan said:
I've been reading some early reviews/impressions of the HTC One Max, and the fingerprint scanner has not been a selling point. Device is too large, awkward position right below the camera and while it allows you to use it as an app launcher you can only use that feature on the lock screen. Two of the reviews I read turned off the functionality, with one comparing it to the Motorola Atrix.

Image

This is where I think Apple was genius with Touch ID in placing it on the home button. Unlocking the phone is easy and natural. No swiping required, just rest your finger on the home button and boom, unlocked. Genius.

One story I read claimed that HTC had a version of the One Max without the fingerprint scanner ready to go. So it makes me wonder if they rushed the implementation after Apple announced the 5S. Which would be a shame because I think this is very cool technology but poor implementation could swear people off of it.
Click to expand...

Yeah it's great! I hope the future iPads have a fingerprint scanner. Otherwise you will be so used to holding your thumb on the home button and it will not respond. Lol. I really enjoy the fingerprint scanner... Nice invention for the home button indeed.
 
Myself I would be not so quick to pronounce Apple genius, but am perplexed at HTC scanner on the rear, WHY?

But no one here, I hope, should be surprised the competitions throw out half-baked "features."
 
scotrinaf said:
I have 3 Toyotas, love 'em all... ;)
Click to expand...

You might actually try driving something else. A Toyota is like an appliance.

You want to drive something FUN? Drive a Porsche, or even some VW's or Audi's.

A Toyota is NOT fun to drive. It's like a big mac: it'll sustain you, but it doesn't taste especially good.

And yes, the touch id IS genius: I absolutely love it.
 
That's because these companies are run by their marketing departments. Marketing wants to have a slide that says:

HTC One MAX
  • ...
  • ...
  • Fingerprint scanner
Click to expand...

So they just jam it in there anyold-how.

Apple have a great marketing department, and I'm sure they have some input, but their products aren't dictated by marketing requirements.

As usual, SJ had it right (talking about Apple's decline when he was fired):

And how are monopolies lost? Think about it. Some very good product people invent some very good products, and the company achieves a monopoly. But after that, the product people aren’t the ones that drive the company forward anymore. It’s the marketing guys or the ones who expand the business into Latin America or whatever. Because what’s the point of focusing on making the product even better when the only company you can take business from is yourself? So a different group of people start to move up.

And who usually ends up running the show? The sales guy. John Akers at IBM is the consummate example. Then one day, the monopoly expires for whatever reason. But by then the best product people have left, or they’re no longer listened to. And so the company goes through this tumultuous time, and it either survives or it doesn’t. Look at Microsoft, who’s running Microsoft? (interviewer: Steve Ballmer.) Right, the sales guy. Case closed. And that’s what happened at Apple, as well.
Click to expand...

and again:

I have my own theory about why the decline happens at companies like IBM or Microsoft. The company does a great job, innovates and becomes a monopoly or close to it in some field, and then the quality of the product becomes less important. The product starts valuing the great salesmen, because they're the ones who can move the needle on revenues, not the product engineers and designers. So the salespeople end up running the company.
Click to expand...
 
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Apple's Touch ID is really genius

syd430 said:
Yeah anyone that buys a Beemer or a merc is an idiot! They could of got the same thing by buying a Toyota. /s
Click to expand...

Some people don't buy a BMW for 4 seats and navigation. People buy it for quality, the experience, the thrill behind the wheel. All Toyotas besides the Supra won't have the driving experience of say... an M3. Tightness, interior quality, power, it doesn't even compare. If you're not a car nut that's tine, but don't say people who buy BMW's and Mercedes are idiots. For some people it's not just getting from A to B, it's the driving experience; the feel behind it.
 
cynics said:
As a Toyota owner I disagree. You can get the same thing like 4 seats and a steering wheel plus navigation etc. However the level of implantation and quality isn't there.

I'd compare it a lot to Apple. There is a premium price for less product (smaller screen, smaller battery, no NFC, etc) but it's a quality product. There really shouldn't be people out there that can justify an iPhone but be baffled by someone buying a Mercedes.
Click to expand...

Bazooka-joe said:
That's because no one owns a German car in Australia because of the import taxes

----------



I have driven BMWs for 20 years and the only one that gave me trouble was a blown light bulb
Click to expand...

N e e k said:
Some people don't buy a BMW for 4 seats and navigation. People buy it for quality, the experience, the thrill behind the wheel. All Toyotas besides the Supra won't have the driving experience of say... an M3. Tightness, interior quality, power, it doesn't even compare. If you're not a car nut that's tine, but don't say people who buy BMW's and Mercedes are idiots. For some people it's not just getting from A to B, it's the driving experience; the feel behind it.
Click to expand...


I actually own several BMW's, my post was intended as sarcasm, hence the "/s" at the end of the sentence.
 
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