HomePod Firmware Suggests iPhone 8 Split Status Bar, Tap to Wake and No Touch ID Under Display

[trellus]

It's literally placing your finger on a button. Tough to remember.

Then color me stupid, because I've never found it that easy. I many times put my phone near the NFC thingie, waited for something happen, nothing happened, felt stupid, and just pulled out my wallet instead -- much faster, feels less dumb and clunky.

It also took me time to figure out how to use it on my Apple Watch -- again, it just felt unnatural, took me time to twiddle with something, orient my wrist strangely... there's really nothing I gain from it over just using a bank card. It felt gimmicky to me.

The only time I've found it super useful is as a backup -- when I have forgotten my wallet -- in which case, I don't care how long or how clunky it feels, I'm just glad I can pay for my stuff.

 

[Mascots]

Completely agree with your post that it doesn't require TouchID (as per Apple's own support doc), but taking away TouchID, wouldn't the process actually be quicker by using a contact-less card? I just feel that taking away TouchID in entirety actually puts Apple Pay at a disadvantage to normal contact-less cards...

Majority of readers that are used for NFC are pointed towards your face at counter level so you can read them. If Apple’s facial recognition would be good enough (for me), that means in the process of pulling it out and holding up your phone, it should be able to unlock. I think (and hope) that’s what they are aiming for here.

That process is the same, if not faster in my mind.

 

[trellus]

Why would you need to unlock your phone if you're not looking at it?

If you're visually impaired and use accessibility features instead of looking at the screen all the time... seems to me you'd still need to unlock the phone?

 

[dan-K]

Majority of readers that are used for NFC are pointed towards your face so you can read them. If Apple’s facial recognition would be good enough (for me), that means in the process of pulling it out and holding up your phone, it should be able to unlock. I think (and hope) that’s what they are aiming for here.

Agreed, at least for store NFC readers. I guess I was thinking more from when I use the underground in London. The NFC readers are low down and not in any way pointed towards your face. I just feel in scenarios like this it would be tricky to have to hold up your phone to your face (assuming that's how it'll work) and then place your phone down to scan on the reader will be cumbersome (especially at rush hour!). I guess though I trust Apple has thought of things like this and I'm sure they maybe have a solution... For example, potentially there may be a solution where the phone stays ready to make a payment up to 10 seconds after unlocking or something similar...

 

[WatchFromAfar]

Completely agree with your post that it doesn't require TouchID (as per Apple's own support doc), but taking away TouchID, wouldn't the process actually be quicker by using a contact-less card? I just feel that taking away TouchID in entirety actually puts Apple Pay at a disadvantage to normal contact-less cards...*

*For in-store purchases at least.

You're 100% correct, at least you understand the problem, and I'm not saying your passcode is ideal but the amount of posters on this site who simply don't understand how their iPhones work, thinking ApplePay needs TouchID, is staggering.

 

[McTool]

There are only two thing for sure.
1. This keynote will have the highest number of viewers.
2. We don’t know **** about this iPhone.

 

[SpectatorHere]

If they go with facial recognition, I sure hope it doesn't require much coding on Apple's part. Last time few times they've rushed out amazing software-based upgrades for the iphone they've been...lacking--> Siri (for the first year or so), and Apple Maps.
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You're 100% correct, at least you understand the problem, and I'm not saying your passcode is ideal but the amount of posters on this site who simply don't understand how their iPhones work, thinking ApplePay needs TouchID, is staggering.

I think you're getting hung up on this. I think people do understand you can use a passcode, but you're missing how much of step backwards it would be for their new iphone to lack the instant and convenient nature of touch-id. But who knows, maybe facial recognition is better and quicker?

 

[carpleror]

Really? This is from Apple themselves:

"Every transaction on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac requires you to authenticate with Touch ID or your passcode"

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201469

ApplePay (jeez, hopefully for the last time) does not require TouchID or any fingerprint scanner.

You totally left out my entire argument where I clearly stated entering a password as being an option, we all know you can do that. The thing is, ApplePay is build around the convenience of biometrics. The password option is just there in case something goes wrong with the scanner or your fingerprint.

If Apple removes the fingerprint sensor from ApplePay, they will need to replace it with another type of biometric scanner otherwise consumers will not be on board, entering a password alone will not be enough to hold it afloat. However, if you can make purchases or enter banking apps with a less reliable scanner (like a face scanner), providers aren't going to continue to use it because it adds additional liability on them. If you steal someone's phone, go to BestBuy and buy a computer using a credit card attached to ApplePay, and verify using faulty facial recognition, who becomes liable for that purchase? BestBuy? The credit card company? It adds more risk, and I see a lot of providers pulling out until it can be proven reliable. The reason we use fingerprints and signatures is because they are unique to a particular person and don't change. What happens if you cut your hair, or shave/grow a beard...

 

[McTool]

You may. May I suggest you revisit Apple Maps today and see how much it is improved.

But it wasn’t when it was released. That’s his point. And he is right. Apple did release a faulty software.

 

[WatchFromAfar]

I think you're getting hung up on this. I think people do understand you can use a passcode, but you're missing how much of step backwards it would be for their new iphone to lack the instant and convenient nature of touch-id. But who knows, maybe facial recognition is better and quicker?

I couldn't agree more, maybe it's better, maybe it's not. How about we make up our minds after it's been demoed.

 

[McTool]

Like how they removed the 3.5mm headphone jack? Damn that was so amazing...

You can’t compare touch id with the headphone jack.

 

[WatchFromAfar]

If Apple removes the fingerprint sensor from ApplePay, they will need to replace it with another type of biometric scanner otherwise consumers will not be on board, entering a password alone will not be enough to hold it afloat. However, if you can make purchases or enter banking apps with a less reliable scanner (like a face scanner), providers aren't going to continue to use it because it adds additional liability on them. If you steal someone's phone, go to BestBuy and buy a computer using a credit card attached to ApplePay, and verify using faulty facial recognition, who becomes liable for that purchase? BestBuy? The credit card company? It adds more risk, and I see a lot of providers pulling out until it can be proven reliable. The reason we use fingerprints and signatures is because they are unique to a particular person and don't change. What happens if you cut your hair, or shave/grow a beard...

If the companies are on board with the option of a passcode now, why would that change if the iPhone 8 doesn't have TouchID? If I can make ApplePay purchases right now with a passcode why would that change come September?

 

[macduke]

Not bad at all!

Request: seems like Apple will cut off the all-black portion of the screen at the lower edge of the notch. Can you try this: make the split portions black (like we’ve seen already), keep the battery in the upper right, and put only the time in the upper left. Then, remove all other icons, and shift the main screen UI up to touch the bottom of the notch (like Solution 3). Makes sense? Can you please do this mock up? That’d be great!

Here you go. What is weird about this design is that it starts to curve up but gets cut off. I followed the curve of the icon that was leaked the other day when making these mockups, but it's possible the curve was accentuated to make it read as a round rect at a small size. As it stands now, I extend the black down to where the curve starts, you might as well have a second black status bar underneath.

Is your thinking behind this that Apple will make the status bar super minimal, with it being able to be dragged down or tapped to pop open when dragging down or tapping in one of the notch areas? That could be interesting, but the purpose of a status bar is to always have the status available. I don't think Apple would ever hide something like cellular or WiFi signal strength. The location services icon is also important from a privacy perspective so people know when they're being tracked and can then go into settings and see what apps are using their location right now.

 

[carpleror]

Then color me stupid, because I've never found it that easy. I many times put my phone near the NFC thingie, waited for something happen, nothing happened, felt stupid, and just pulled out my wallet instead -- much faster, feels less dumb and clunky.

It also took me time to figure out how to use it on my Apple Watch -- again, it just felt unnatural, took me time to twiddle with something, orient my wrist strangely... there's really nothing I gain from it over just using a bank card. It felt gimmicky to me.

The only time I've found it super useful is as a backup -- when I have forgotten my wallet -- in which case, I don't care how long or how clunky it feels, I'm just glad I can pay for my stuff.

They don't tell you the drawbacks of it either. I went to the store once, pulled out my wallet and handed my card to the cashier only to find out my Apple Watch paid for the purchase already, without my knowing.

 

[McTool]

No?

I said the lock button was growing to the size of the two volume buttons, ie getting longer. I never said it was replacing them.

Look at the leaked images. Volume buttons on one side, elongated "lock" button on the other which could easily house touch id.

The power button has been made longer for reach ability.
Sony tried and it sucks.

 

[carpleror]

If the companies are on board with the option of a passcode now, why would that change if the iPhone 8 doesn't have TouchID? If I can make ApplePay purchases right now with a passcode why would that change come September?

It's not the removing of TouchID that's the issue, it's the replacement of it with a less reliable biometric scanner. If companies aren't comfortable with facial scanners, and there's no way for them to ensure that you can only use a passcode as a method of verification, they will pull out completely.

 

[44267547]

But it wasn’t when it was released. That’s his point. And he is right. Apple did release a faulty software.

You missed the point completely. Comparing Apple Maps all those years ago to a security software feature is completely irrevelant. Releasing an unsecure or botched facial recognition software is much higher of a priority over Apple Maps. Two entirely different comparisons. Apple would take way more negative feedback over a security feature versus Apple Maps.
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The power button has been made longer for reach ability.

Source?

 

[Mascots]

It's not the removing of TouchID that's the issue, it's the replacement of it with a less reliable biometric scanner. If companies aren't comfortable with facial scanners, and there's no way for them to ensure that you can only use a passcode as a method of verification, they will pull out completely.

Does this not give you some sort of thought that maybe Apple is able to bring to the market a facial scanner, using the background in camera, AR, and AI, that pleases this crowd of people? And in fact, works so well that the fingerprint scanner wasn't needed?

You sound like the crowd who cried about Touch ID when announced: What about cloning the fingerprint from the display? or What about dirty fingers? or It's faster to enter a passcode than wait!; all of which was bologna. Touch ID changed the landscape of biometric unlocking, which was crap before.

Why wouldn't Apple be able to do that again? On their flagship product, no less, which has even more billions backing it today?

 

[5105973]

I've come to accept the loss of the headphone jack, even if I still don't like it or believe that it was necessary, but if there's no TouchID (even on the back), I will have to re-think purchasing this phone.

Touch ID only worked reliably for me with my iPhone 7 Plus and my HTC 10. It works decently on my iphone SE. So I've only had a year of this convenience anyway. I'm so used to inputting my passcode it won't be a huge sacrifice to go back, I guess.

The retina scanner on my Samsung phone makes my eyes hurt really bad so I'm a bit averse to the idea of light beams shining in my face. But I'll give the Apple version of facial recognition a shot and see how it goes.

I will likely preorder, just because these days preordering has got all the excitement of fishing, but if you score on your preorder effort you get a strange little phone instead of a strange little flounder. I'm sure by the time it comes to fulfill my order in the queue, I can cancel if the early reviews indicate it stinks like a fish.

I'll keep my trusty iPhone 7 Plus around, regardless. It's paid for and will eventually go to a family member anyway.

 

[44267547]

You can’t compare touch id with the headphone jack.

The reason they are compared is NOT because of the relation to the software versus hardware. It's because Apple is possibly "Removing" Touch ID similarly to the 3.5 Jack. It's the idea of removing something or a feature that works so well for others and it may not be accessible.

 

[WatchFromAfar]

It's not the removing of TouchID that's the issue, it's the replacement of it with a less reliable biometric scanner. If companies aren't comfortable with facial scanners, and there's no way for them to ensure that you can only use a passcode as a method of verification, they will pull out completely.

I disagree entirely. Yes, the financial companies may not be happy until facial recognition is a proven technology but they won't pull-out entirely, more likely to say "passcode only on those new phones" and throw the ball back into Apple's court until they either sort out TouchID or demonstrate the security of their facial recognition implementation.
Don't forget they still have to support 7s/7s+ buyers.

 

[DNichter]

It's not the removing of TouchID that's the issue, it's the replacement of it with a less reliable biometric scanner. If companies aren't comfortable with facial scanners, and there's no way for them to ensure that you can only use a passcode as a method of verification, they will pull out completely.

Hard to say that something that hasn't been released yet is less reliable. They have been working on this for years, maybe it works better than touch ID?

 

[sleepydinosaur]

Touch ID on the speaker is a dumb idea.

 

[applesith]

I don't see Apple ditching Touch ID to resort to passcodes for Apple Pay. That seems like a step back. It will take time for Face ID to be proven secure enough for banks to allow it as the primary authentication method.

 

[carpleror]

Does this not give you some sort of thought that maybe Apple is able to bring to the market a facial scanner, using the background in camera, AR, and AI, that pleases this crowd of people? And in fact, works so well that the fingerprint scanner wasn't needed?

You sound like the crowd who cried about Touch ID when announced: What about cloning the fingerprint from the display? or What about dirty fingers? or It's faster to enter a passcode than wait!; all of which was bologna. Touch ID changed the landscape of biometric unlocking, which was crap before.

Why wouldn't Apple be able to do that again? On their flagship product, no less, which has even more billions backing it today?

The difference between fingerprint scanning and facial recognition is fingerprints don't change. Glasses, shaving, cutting your hair, aging, and even lighting are all common things that can dramatically change the way you look, whereas fingerprints are essentially just two-dimmensional images that remain the same throughout your entire life. It goes without saying, faces are much more complex than fingerprints. Also, fingerprints have been used throughout history to identify people. It's entirely possible that they could have created a completely reliable facial recognition software, but I have a hard time believing companies will back the tech (especially in the beginning). Lastly, I hate to play into your "it's faster to type in a password" argument, but scanning your face when making an in-store person does seem very cumbersome and awkward...