Not quite sure where to post this thought but it's loosely related to the 5S rumours:
While the reports of an Apple Smartwatch could be fictitious (recent hirings suggest otherwise, although this could also mean they're early in the development process) as could the rumour of a fingerprint sensor being included on the 5S would it not make more sense for the fingerprint sensor to be on the smaller device whose screen likely won't be able to accommodate a traditional keyboard/password? This seems to have been overlooked in all speculation of the device. We've also not seen evidence that it will be part of the iPhone's home button.
Whether a watch would be capable of making wireless payments or only having existing Siri functionality to say make a call or send an iMessage – without any security it would be possible to expend the owner's money/minutes/texts/data all too easily if the device was being worn or not.
Other steps to make the system more secure like a maximum payment or needing the paired phone to have been unlocked recently in order to be used only provide the opportunity to inconvenience the user.
This wouldn't exclude the possibility of an iPhone sporting the sensor of course but given reports of low volumes of the sensors it's possible that a niche product be the one that debuts the technology.
It also means that even if the sensor technology is slow compared to entering a password as we've been used to on a phone (for standard unlocking) it's still faster than pulling out a wallet, searching a card, waiting for verification from the machine, entering a PIN and so on.. the watch is right there and exposed.
Just thinking aloud but anyone have any thoughts?
While the reports of an Apple Smartwatch could be fictitious (recent hirings suggest otherwise, although this could also mean they're early in the development process) as could the rumour of a fingerprint sensor being included on the 5S would it not make more sense for the fingerprint sensor to be on the smaller device whose screen likely won't be able to accommodate a traditional keyboard/password? This seems to have been overlooked in all speculation of the device. We've also not seen evidence that it will be part of the iPhone's home button.
Whether a watch would be capable of making wireless payments or only having existing Siri functionality to say make a call or send an iMessage – without any security it would be possible to expend the owner's money/minutes/texts/data all too easily if the device was being worn or not.
Other steps to make the system more secure like a maximum payment or needing the paired phone to have been unlocked recently in order to be used only provide the opportunity to inconvenience the user.
This wouldn't exclude the possibility of an iPhone sporting the sensor of course but given reports of low volumes of the sensors it's possible that a niche product be the one that debuts the technology.
It also means that even if the sensor technology is slow compared to entering a password as we've been used to on a phone (for standard unlocking) it's still faster than pulling out a wallet, searching a card, waiting for verification from the machine, entering a PIN and so on.. the watch is right there and exposed.
Just thinking aloud but anyone have any thoughts?
