Do I really have to click to wake AND then scan my fingerprint?

[Sir Ruben]

I think the issue here is that Apple made it SEEM as though you just place your finger over the button, the ring detects your finger from the electricity in your body and activates the scan. This method would not result in unlocking the phone in your pocket as even if the ring detected skin there would be no resulting fingerprint to unlock the phone.

As far as I can tell this was the original way apple intended the feature to work, however the ring itself was using more power than was favourable so they required the button to be pushed first, which activates the ring, which then takes a fingerprint scan.

 

[iBighouse]

OP, you do not have to press the home button then touch it IF you combine them into one gesture!

What I found is that if I press down the home button, release the pressure and just NOT remove my finger/thumb it wakes and unlocks.

It feels like only one touch, or press, and not two touches that way. We are so use to lifting our fingers off the home button after pressing it to swipe or tap the screen. Instead, don't be so quick to lift your digit off the home button after depressing it. Fight that urge to immediately lift it off and you will quickly retrain yourself into unlocking the phone with what to me now feels like just one press.

 

[socco]

How would that work? If you don't press anything how would it know to read anything?

We were told that the ring around the button would sense when your finger touches it. But that's not true. Either the hardware is not even present or the feature has been disabled.

 

[noobinator]

We were told that the ring around the button would sense when your finger touches it. But that's not true. Either the hardware is not even present or the feature has been disabled.

Or you misinterpreted what they said.

 

[Jman13]

We were told that the ring around the button would sense when your finger touches it. But that's not true. Either the hardware is not even present or the feature has been disabled.

It is true, but you still need to wake the device. The ring is more useful when scanning your finger for app purchases. There, pressing the home button would kick you to the home screen. The button press doesn't activate the scanner (the ring does that), the button press wakes the device, which has always been necessary to unlock the phone.

 

[oaktree]

I just tested 3 ways, it did not work

1) Held down, siri popped up (X)
2) Turned siri off, held down, voice control came on (X)
3) Let go of home button right before siri was about to come on, nothing happened (X)

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That does NOT work. I just tested this, read my post above ^

EDIT: I have the 5s in my hand right now, holding down the home button does NOT unlock the phone

I've been reading this thread with interest, because I have been disappointed/unsuccessful with using the fingerprint scanner. I was so grateful that I hadn't started a thread about this and been ridiculed for not being able to meet with success. But alas, this morning, I discovered "my problem". Somehow in settings, under fingerprints, the passcode unlock was turned off. I probably did this thinking that meant I was going to have to use a passcode instead of the fingerprint. Anyway, now that I have turned it on, the fingerprint scanner works.
Disclaimer: I am not tech savvy, so be kind.

 

[Jimbo Asprilla]

Of course you could just press the wake/sleep button and just hold your finger on the scanner without pressing the home button at all to access your iPhone, I must admit I felt missleaded by the keynote demonstration.

 

[nikhsub1]

The phone is locked, it's designed that way so you don't accidentally unlock it just by lightly touching the home buttton.

Seems a difficult concept for people to grasp. You wouldn't want the device waking all the time just by holding/touching it.

 

[Cscottrun]

What it is is this:

When the device is locked, you have to push the home button then in reads your finger. This is because they don't want the screen turning on it your pocket.

But on the App Store or iTunes Store, you DONT have to click it, you just rest you finger on it.

So if the devices screen is already on, you don't have to click. If the screen is off, you have to click first, to wake it up.

I don't get the bolded. It is annoying that Apple didn't implement it in a way that doesn't require the push of the button. The reader should turn the screen on and unlock when it reads a full fingerprint. Don't really understand how requiring someone to push the home button is the safe guard against the screen turning on in your pocket.

Why not require a full finger print scan before allowing the screen to turn on (without requiring you to push the button)?

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Seems a difficult concept for people to grasp. You wouldn't want the device waking all the time just by holding/touching it.

They should have it so when something touches the ring, it activates the reading mechanism (not the screen), and once it gets a full read, then the screen activates.

 

[Nothlit]

So then what is the metal ring for? Is that some part that the scanner needs to work?

The metal ring is for detecting your finger on the scanner when pushing the button would be counter-productive. For example, when scanning your fingerprint in place of typing your App Store password. You wouldn't want to push the button then, because that would cancel your purchase and take you back to the home screen. Hence the ring to detect your finger in that situation.

Are you sure? I'm trying it all the ways you are saying it, and it does not work...

Did you set up Touch ID and train the finger you're trying to use?

We were told that the ring around the button would sense when your finger touches it. But that's not true. Either the hardware is not even present or the feature has been disabled.

It does sense your finger. The issue is that when the screen is off, the only thing that will turn it on is pressing either the home button or the sleep/wake button. That's how it has been on the iPhone since 2007, and Apple has not changed that. Once you've pressed the button to wake the device, THEN the ring detects your finger is still on the button and initiates a fingerprint scan.

This is not hard, people.

 

[gentlefury]

We were told that the ring around the button would sense when your finger touches it. But that's not true. Either the hardware is not even present or the feature has been disabled.

It does. As long as the phone is on! Duh.

 

[noobinator]

I don't get the bolded. It is annoying that Apple didn't implement it in a way that doesn't require the push of the button. The reader should turn the screen on and unlock when it reads a full fingerprint. Don't really understand how requiring someone to push the home button is the safe guard against the screen turning on in your pocket.

Why not require a full finger print scan before allowing the screen to turn on (without requiring you to push the button)?

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They should have it so when something touches the ring, it activates the reading mechanism (not the screen), and once it gets a full read, then the screen activates.

If it activates anytime it is touched and then has to see if it is a fingerprint or a piece of clothing, what would this do to battery life?

 

[Cscottrun]

The metal ring is for detecting your finger on the scanner when pushing the button would be counter-productive. For example, when scanning your fingerprint in place of typing your App Store password. You wouldn't want to push the button then, because that would cancel your purchase and take you back to the home screen. Hence the ring to detect your finger in that situation.



Did you set up Touch ID and train the finger you're trying to use?



It does sense your finger. The issue is that when the screen is off, the only thing that will turn it on is pressing either the home button or the sleep/wake button. That's how it has been on the iPhone since 2007, and Apple has not changed that. Once you've pressed the button to wake the device, THEN the ring detects your finger is still on the button and initiates a fingerprint scan.

This is not hard, people.

This is correct. But its annoying that you have to press the button to "activate the ring." The ring should always be activated, and the screen should stay off until the ring gets and verifies your fingerprint. Once it does, the screen should go on, bypassing the lock screen.

 

[CooKieMoNs7eR]

I think they can change this in their next software update if they want to.

 

[Cscottrun]

If it activates anytime it is touched and then has to see if it is a fingerprint or a piece of clothing, what would this do to battery life?

I understand this argument, and I didn't say I had an answer (that'd be apples job). However, this is very similar to the "always listening" feature implemented in google glass and moto x. The phones mic is always on, awaiting a phrase. Here, the ring would always be on, awaiting a finger.

 

[BlueKhufu]

This is correct. But its annoying that you have to press the button to "activate the ring." The ring should always be activated, and the screen should stay off until the ring gets and verifies your fingerprint. Once it does, the screen should go on, bypassing the lock screen.

Sorry, no. Capacitive sensors can detect skin through clothing, be it a thigh, a nipple, or your butt. It is entirely possible that if a person keeps their phone in a pocket the sensor will detect something, try to read it, fail to read it, and then lock out the phone (after five of these) and require you to enter a password. That to me is far more annoying than pressing a button to first wake up the phone and say "now I'm looking for a finger" (that's what she said (sorry)).
Plus, with your method, if it just ignored bad reads and didn't activate the screen unless it was a good read, how would the user know whether their phone was dead, or their fingerprint didn't read or some other issue unless the screen turns on to indicate that?

 

[blhoward2]

It is true, but you still need to wake the device. The ring is more useful when scanning your finger for app purchases. There, pressing the home button would kick you to the home screen. The button press doesn't activate the scanner (the ring does that), the button press wakes the device, which has always been necessary to unlock the phone.

This. I think this will be more important once Apple inevitably allows banks, etc to use the scanner for their apps.

 

[itsmemuffins]

Can you wake a phone with a capacitive home button?

Answer. No...

Just press the button slightly and leave your finger on it.

 

[TommyA6]

This thread is ridiculous.
What's so hard to understand? TouchID works brilliantly. It is fast, efficient and reliable, and is implemented in way all people who used any iPhone for a few minutes should understand. And here we have a few convenience experts complaining about them having to press the home button first and only then scanning their print. What if you only wanted to view your lock screen?Then what? You'dd be limited to unlocking your phone with the power button. Plus, every time your holding/handling your phone you'dd probably accidentally unlock it/turn it on a lot more.
It could possibly also drain your battery faster.

 

[Charadis]

This is seriously the most ridiculous First World Problem type of thread I've seen on these forums, and there are a lot. How lazy have we become where having to click a button before it rapidly scans your fingerprint for near instant access to a high powered computer with broadband Internet access that fits in your pocket is disappointing, inconvenient and annoying? Seriously? You actually have to press a button? Oh Noez!

I think the concern with pressing the button to unlock the phone is that it consists of parts that wear out over use. I have an OCD with minimizing myself in checking the time, date or new MSG, as convenient as it is to just click it.

I have Activator installed through jailbreak, and unlocking is usually the only time I ever use the Home button. If a jailbreak app ever releases to unlock without pressing a button, that would minimize my use of the Home button to never. Sent from my iPhone 5.

 

[socco]

It does. As long as the phone is on! Duh.

That's not how it was marketed though.

 

[WilliamG]

Sorry, no. Capacitive sensors can detect skin through clothing, be it a thigh, a nipple, or your butt. It is entirely possible that if a person keeps their phone in a pocket the sensor will detect something, try to read it, fail to read it, and then lock out the phone (after five of these) and require you to enter a password. That to me is far more annoying than pressing a button to first wake up the phone and say "now I'm looking for a finger" (that's what she said (sorry)).
Plus, with your method, if it just ignored bad reads and didn't activate the screen unless it was a good read, how would the user know whether their phone was dead, or their fingerprint didn't read or some other issue unless the screen turns on to indicate that?

Absolutely. I've had my iPhone dial when left unlocked, screen on, from my pants. It can totally detect skin through clothing. The way the fingerprint sensor it works now is the way it simply HAS to work.

 

[gentlefury]

That's not how it was marketed though.

So you would rather your phone never sleep? Battery life would be nothing if it worked like that. Is it really that hard to push a button???

 

[BlueKhufu]

That's not how it was marketed though.

No it is not, at least not on apples page for the phone. Here is what they say.. "Put your finger on the Home button, and just like that your iPhone unlocks. "

That does not say it will turn ON your phone. Turning on and unlocking are two different things, they always have been on the iphone. There are legitimate concerns with having the touch sensor always on, particularly when false touches lead to having to input your passcode or password. Imagine the uproar here if every time people put it in their pants or shirt pocket the thing locked the print sensor out and forced people to input their (hopefully complex now that you don't have to put it in all the time) passcode.. It would be a significant design flaw.
Even the demonstration video on apples site looks like the person is pressing down and then holding their thumb on the home button to turn on then unlock the phone. The ring works as described to make purchases and unlock the phone, you still have to turn it on/wake it up.

 

[gentlefury]

No it is not, at least not on apples page for the phone. Here is what they say.. "Put your finger on the Home button, and just like that your iPhone unlocks. "

That does not say it will turn ON your phone. Turning on and unlocking are two different things, they always have been on the iphone. There are legitimate concerns with having the touch sensor always on, particularly when false touches lead to having to input your passcode or password. Imagine the uproar here if every time people put it in their pants or shirt pocket the thing locked the print sensor out and forced people to input their (hopefully complex now that you don't have to put it in all the time) passcode.. It would be a significant design flaw.
Even the demonstration video on apples site looks like the person is pressing down and then holding their thumb on the home button to turn on then unlock the phone. The ring works as described to make purchases and unlock the phone, you still have to turn it on/wake it up.

That's exactly right.