I think your post requires more specificity. This isn’t a claim you can make, given how unpredictable Apple is. You don’t know that touch ID might be re-formatted where it’s implemented differently. (I-e-Embedded under the display.)
Furthermore, don’t you think Apple has taken into account not everybody owns an Apple Watch? Yes it’s a workaround, but it’s an accessory to the iPhone. As popular as it is, it’s not a valid argument when it’s compared to the popularity of the iPhone.
Plus, we do know Apple hasn’t entirely removed touch ID from their products, especially given there’s another rumored iPhone late spring 2022 that very may well include Touch ID similarly to the iPhone 8 build.
Trial production of the third-generation iPhone SE is set to get underway in the near future as Apple's suppliers and supply chain increase...
www.macrumors.com