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Finger Print Scanner

C

cynics

macrumors G4
Original poster
Jan 8, 2012
11,977
2,178
I haven't seen a thread dedicated strictly to this. Assuming this rumor is true how do you guys feel about that being an "upgrade"?

Personally I think its kind of silly and borderline gimmicky. It's not the most secure way to lock something plus its generally slower then typing in a passcode.

That said maybe I'm over looking the bigger picture. How else do you guys think this tech could be utilized? Maybe there is something cool that the device could do once unlocked my uncreative mind isn't thinking of.

Thoughts, opinions?
 
I also think the finger print scanner is useless, many circumstances it won't work like if your hand is sweaty or wrong angle. Also we probobly won't be able to take advantage of it and make something out of it unless ios 7 is jailbroken and very talented dev makes the code for it to do something cool.
 
I'm actually really excited about it.

Perhaps it is naivety, but I don't believe Apple would put a fingerprint scanner on a phone unless it worked. Really well.

I love the idea of picking up my phone, pressing the home button and it working straight away; then buying from the App Store without entering a password. In fact, with the new iCloud keychain, maybe no entering passwords ever again.

Pretty cool, I reckon!
 
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cg399 said:
I'm actually really excited about it.

Perhaps it is naivety, but I don't believe Apple would put a fingerprint scanner on a phone unless it worked. Really well.

I love the idea of picking up my phone, pressing the home button and it working straight away; then buying from the App Store without entering a password. In fact, with the new iCloud keychain, maybe no entering passwords ever again.

Pretty cool, I reckon!
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"Ditto" Hope it does come to the iPhone 5S, but my guess it won't until next year. Get the bugs out and I'm all in for this..
 
I had a fingerprint scanner on a laptop once.

Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't.

Just imagine the fun when you need to make that urgent call, and don't cut your finger!
 
Hmm good points.

I was picturing a "behind the screen" style scanner. While neat I don't think they can make that very secure as a decent finger print scanner measures temp and moisture for realism.

Home button is a cool idea but in my unprofessional opinion its too small to actually get the part of the print that counts. Which would be the pad and I personally press it with the tip of my thumb. So I highly doubt it will be on the home button unless its made a lot bigger which I can't see them doing that either.

Any other ideas? Everything I think of has fail written all over it, then again I'm not a skilled Apple engineer either.

My gut is telling me we will never see this on an iPhone.

----------

Another point is cases and screen protectors. I'm pretty rough with my phone so I use a lifeproof case but MANY case totally cover the phone especially the home button.
 
Its obvious that the 5S will have some kind of a new feature to differentiate itself from the 5. A new processor and better camera isn't going to entice many people to upgrade. I can't think of anything software-wise that could be available only on the 5S (like Siri was only available on the 4S), so the finger print scanner does seem possible.
 
Jimbo47 said:
Its obvious that the 5S will have some kind of a new feature to differentiate itself from the 5. A new processor and better camera isn't going to entice many people to upgrade. I can't think of anything software-wise that could be available only on the 5S (like Siri was only available on the 4S), so the finger print scanner does seem possible.
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I still think it will be software. I doubt they will add additional hardware to a S model for the first time.

If the phone has to be slightly redesigned externally they might as well completely redesign it. Especially for something silly like a fingerprint scanner.

Don't lock you phone? Get an iPhone 5.
Use a case? Get an iPhone 5.
Want strong security? Use a long passcode on an iPhone 5.

I couldn't imagine people going nuts over a fingerprint scanner.

Although you or I can't think of anything I think the 5S will have some software the 5 won't get like has happened in the past. Maybe the GM won't get airdrop unless its a 5S? Who knows...
 
adildacoolset said:
Save your judgment for when it comes out.
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That's his opinion. Which is what I'm looking for. Everything he said is a common problem with a fingerprint scanner. Not saying apple won't be using better tech though.
 
Fingerprint scanner is a novelty, most laptops don't even have this yet. The chances of Apple even considering having this on their PHONE are slim.
 
It useless. Half the time anyone's finger would be able to unlock the phone. It would make for an endless stream of pointless posts.
 
The technology as it stands is buggy and glitchy and doesn't work that well, as I'm sure anybody with one in their laptop could attest. That said, Apple has a habit of taking things and making them work beautifully (most of the time) and refining the technology.

If Apple releases a fingerprint scanner, I don't think it would be in a buggy, gimmicky way.
 
makotoisle said:
The technology as it stands is buggy and glitchy and doesn't work that well, as I'm sure anybody with one in their laptop could attest. That said, Apple has a habit of taking things and making them work beautifully (most of the time) and refining the technology.

If Apple releases a fingerprint scanner, I don't think it would be in a buggy, gimmicky way.
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I tend to agree but I've yet to here of a good use for. Obviously I'm not creative enough to think of anything that's why I was hoping someone else was.

All I see a less secure phone.

Even if Apple made a really good scanner that was as secure as a passcode it would still need to be backed by a passcode in case you hurt the scanned finger.

So now someone trying to get into a phone can try to defeat the scanner and if that doesn't work they will be able to go back to the passcode method that we've always have had.

Then you have the question of privacy. Do you really want your fingerprint saved on even a secure apple server? How long before a single malware app scoops up the fingerprint info?
 
I'm not excited at all for a fingerprint scanner. I hope the S stands for something other than the scanner/security.
 
Finger print scanner is the feature that I really don't care about. Although, Some people might find it useful for business. It also could be useful for things like online payment, using finger print instead of a password or SMS code.

if 5S is just a little CPU upgrade plus finer print scanner, I will be very happy with my 5.
 
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adildacoolset said:
YEs, but he's already judging the quality of a product, without knowing what it's using.
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I was judging based on different phone I used that had a fingerprint scanner(Motorola atrix) and it's just an opinion, if you don't like my comments just ignore them, it's that easy.
 
ross1998 said:
I was judging based on different phone I used that had a fingerprint scanner(Motorola atrix) and it's just an opinion, if you don't like my comments just ignore them, it's that easy.
Click to expand...

I was trying not to bring that up. A lot of people didn't know there was an Android phone with a finger print scanner on it over 2 years ago.

That said if Apple did implement it I'm sure the tech would be better. One, its apple. Two, its been over two years.

But even back then when that tech seemed futuristic and really secure it was gimmicky. Now we are well passed that.

I'm still betting we don't see that. If we do its going to be something entirely different then I'm picturing.
 
If they do include a fingerprint scanner, I don't care absolutely at all about any other features they include, even a 50mp camera 1 week battery and tv sized screen, I will not be upgrading. With all the news lately, I do NOT want apple scanning my finger prints and sending them back to their servers / selling information to 3rd parties.
 
firedept said:
I like the idea. Anything that will make my iPhone less attractive to thieves.
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It would be nice to have security and convenience at the same time. A system that scans the finger during "swipe to unlock" would be very nice.


wrkactjob said:
I had a fingerprint scanner on a laptop once.

Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't.

Just imagine the fun when you need to make that urgent call, and don't cut your finger!
Click to expand...

The fingerprint software that I've seen typically asks the user to input several fingers so there is backup in case one becomes unavailable. One could also scan in a toe! Yeah, that is kind of gross.
 
When it became known in 07 that apple was going to use a full touch screen on the iPhone, a TON of people were saying it was going to be terrible because of what they were used to seeing at the time. Well, look what happened. A fingerprint scanner is coming. Whether its the 5S or 6, I don't know. But when it comes im betting on it being a game changer. Just like the touch screen. You'd have to be pretty naive to believe that a FP scanner on the iPhone would be even a little bit similar to what we've been seeing over the few years.
 
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