Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

sportsfrk214

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 18, 2007
566
32
I ask, very simply: how on earth can Apple not put Touch ID on the iPad 5? I've seen rumors that suggest it won't get this feature, and to be honest I can't imagine how that would be possible. I'd honestly love to hear someone straighten me out and give me a reason as to why they wouldn't, because the more I think about the less it seems possible. While the iPad is clearly the king of tablets, its market share is dropping fast. This is an important iPad for Apple, and I find it really hard to imagine they'd make people wait a year to experience their new flagship feature. I really think it would get some bad press and a ton of reviews from people wondering where the feature is. Thoughts?
 

boy-better-know

macrumors 65816
Jun 30, 2010
1,350
137
England
If production yields are too low then it is possible that Apple had to make the decision not to include it in the iPad.
I would also be disappointed if finger print sensors aren't included in the new iPad but it isn't a deal breaker for me.
 

M87

macrumors 65816
Jul 18, 2009
1,259
290
Getting in and out quick is more of an issue on a phone I think. Not that it wouldn't be nice on an iPad.
 

Mikeyde1989

macrumors member
Jun 16, 2013
56
32
Melbourne, Australia
As someone who'll be purchasing their first iPad, although I'm getting a mini, I really hope we see touch ID. Sonny Dickson believes it's coming and had photos to back himself up. I am normally very trusting of 9to5Mac but they are completely against the idea. Praying Sonny is right !

Anyway I agree with the others maybe there aren't enough components or it's too hard to coordinate with the suppliers. Some are saying it's the 5s' key feature so why give it to the iPad. But I respect apple for their consistency and generally speaking they always include new features across all their iOS devices regardless of whether the iPad or iPhone got it first. So hopefully they do same here.
Eg. A7X processor and 8 megapixel camera on the 5s
 

Nova Sensei

macrumors 6502
Feb 26, 2012
264
0
The iPhone 5S would look rather expensive if the iPad had all the same premium features at half the price. Right? TouchID will filter down to the lower end products eventually, but not this soon.
 

hallidc

macrumors 6502
Sep 26, 2013
496
71
So they can slap it on an iPad 6 six months down the line. Smh

That seems like what they may do. It would be like the iPad 3 to the iPad 4 in a few months.

I hope the new iPad has the touch ID however it also wouldn't be a deal breaker for me, although I'm constantly trying to get into my iPad now with my finger print haha
 

takeshi74

macrumors 601
Feb 9, 2011
4,974
68
I'd honestly love to hear someone straighten me out and give me a reason as to why they wouldn't, because the more I think about the less it seems possible.
It's all rumor either way. Debating it without knowing the inner workings of Apple is pointless IMO as we can't give you Apple's reasoning either way. We have know way of knowing what their issues and limitations are. Features don't just get integrated on their own. While it does seem like a bad idea to omit it to me that doesn't mean that it's impossible.

I really think it would get some bad press and a ton of reviews from people wondering where the feature is. Thoughts?
IIRC people wondered about that with the iPhone and 3G. It really wouldn't be unprecedented.
 

Patriot24

macrumors 68030
Dec 29, 2010
2,813
805
California
Too many people are looking at the Mini as the cheaper, red-headed stepchild of the iPad line. In actuality, Apple has a chance to make the Mini the best tablet on the market and regain share with this release.

If they're not going to have an issue putting an A7/X in the unit, I'm not sure what is stopping them from putting Touch ID in it (other than price).

Mini 2 may not have either of those, but it won't be because Apple sees it as the "cheap" variant.
 

bobright

macrumors 601
Jun 29, 2010
4,813
33
Kuo also weighs in on several other rumored additions for the iPad and iPad mini, claiming that "probably" neither a Touch ID fingerprint sensor nor a gold color option will be available in either line. He believes that production of components related to those features are still being prioritized for the iPhone 5s, which remains in very tight supply, and thus will not yet be able to make their way into the iPad lineup.
This sucks hell why don't they push the release back a few weeks if they have to? They probably want to just keep it as an iPhone 5s exclusive so as to be a selling point for it.
 

cambookpro

macrumors 604
Feb 3, 2010
7,189
3,321
United Kingdom
Personally I don't think Touch ID is as important for the iPad. Most people use the iPad for a fairly prolonged period of time before it being set aside again - it's rare for people to constantly use their iPad in short bursts like one would when checking emails, notifications etc on a phone.

Touch ID would be nice, but I just don't think it's a necessity on an iPad.
 

mistersnowmans

macrumors newbie
Oct 19, 2013
18
2
Just a thought but wouldn't it be a possible that Apple has a shortage of Touch Id's for the iPhone because they're simultaneously trying to prepare enough stock of ipad with touch id? Could be a possible scenario in my opinion.
 

Bazooka-joe

macrumors 603
Mar 12, 2012
5,224
3,617
Swindon, England
Just a thought but wouldn't it be a possible that Apple has a shortage of Touch Id's for the iPhone because they're simultaneously trying to prepare enough stock of ipad with touch id? Could be a possible scenario in my opinion.

I would suggest that its the other way around. Remember that Apple has just ramped up production of the 5s by 75% and that could be the reason why the Ipad will nor come with Touch ID
 

Tysknaden

macrumors regular
Jun 19, 2013
198
0
This is a way for artificially creating reason for buying iPad 6. The Apple system always worked this way, with holding back features for the next release of a device. Also, it seems, that mass production of the sensor is still not uncomplicated.

I ask, very simply: how on earth can Apple not put Touch ID on the iPad 5? I've seen rumors that suggest it won't get this feature, and to be honest I can't imagine how that would be possible. I'd honestly love to hear someone straighten me out and give me a reason as to why they wouldn't, because the more I think about the less it seems possible. While the iPad is clearly the king of tablets, its market share is dropping fast. This is an important iPad for Apple, and I find it really hard to imagine they'd make people wait a year to experience their new flagship feature. I really think it would get some bad press and a ton of reviews from people wondering where the feature is. Thoughts?
 

Abazigal

Contributor
Jul 18, 2011
19,579
22,044
Singapore
When you consider how many people are using smart-cover style cases on their ipads which unlock it when you unfurl the cover, I won't be surprised if even fewer bother to lock their ipad compared to their iphones.

To be honest, I am not sure I would use Touch-ID on my ipad if it came with it. Maybe next year, if IOS8 comes with more fingerprint-supported features to make it worthwhile.
 

carlgo

macrumors 68000
Dec 29, 2006
1,806
17
Monterey CA
When all devices, phones, iPads, laptops and computers (with appropriate keyboards or touch pads) all have the fingerprint technology then finally passwords can be eliminated for those of us who hate them intensely.

This can't come fast enough. My fear is that Apple is thinking more about quick access to iTunes, Apps and social media and may not cooperate with developers who would take this technology further and eliminate passwords for all things.
 

Binarymix

macrumors 65816
Nov 1, 2007
1,121
353
Thinking about the "still have a lot to cover" line in the invite,

Perhaps the iPad Smart Cover will somehow integrate the TouchID sensor. So that your iPad will only unlock if you are the one opening the cover.

Not sure how they'd pull it off but it could happen.

I just can't see the point in a home button touchID on the iPad. Most people use the smart cover, and it would just complicate the process.
 

hologram

macrumors 6502a
May 12, 2007
527
179
This is a way for artificially creating reason for buying iPad 6.

Really? Why would you say that?

I really doubt that Apple would intentionally hold back a key feature like this at the start of the holiday shopping season just so they can inflate their figures for next year.

If they don't include it, it will be because of production issues. Not everything is an anti-consumer conspiracy.:cool:
 
Last edited:

Ledgem

macrumors 68020
Jan 18, 2008
2,034
924
Hawaii, USA
Personally I don't think Touch ID is as important for the iPad. Most people use the iPad for a fairly prolonged period of time before it being set aside again - it's rare for people to constantly use their iPad in short bursts like one would when checking emails, notifications etc on a phone.

Touch ID would be nice, but I just don't think it's a necessity on an iPad.
You may be right for the home user, but otherwise I disagree. iPads are used in the corporate environment, where there can be requirements on password length and password cycling (and where it's also potentially more likely that they're being used in shorter but more frequent bursts of time). TouchID would be a game-changer there.
 

Moccasin

macrumors 65816
Mar 21, 2011
1,005
220
Newcastle, UK
I would suggest that its the other way around. Remember that Apple has just ramped up production of the 5s by 75% and that could be the reason why the Ipad will nor come with Touch ID

On balance I would imagine that the design decisions whether or not to include TouchID on the iPad would have been made months ago. It's not just the button but also the assembly and the way it connects to the main logic board. Dumping TouchID so late would have caused major problems in designing and manufacturing alternative components.

I do hope the new iPads have TouchID and I think that the larger one will at least. The Mini may not if Apple are marketing it as a low cost iPad. That depends on whether the older tech in the original Mini was to stop abstracting sales from its larger brother, or because they wanted to see how the first model fared before deciding on future strategy.
 

Teste

macrumors 6502
Jan 8, 2011
353
5
I ask, very simply: how on earth can Apple not put Touch ID on the iPad 5?

Because Apple knows it's a pointless little gimmick fapped over by fanboys only, and those are going to buy the new iPads anyway. The iPhones need to be announced with some kind of gimmick to cater to wide-eyed people, but fortunatelly the iPads have been catering to more mature audiences. It was the same thing with Siri - Apple made a big splash announcing a (still broken to this day) feature for the iPhone that would not be available to the same year's iPad.
 

The Flying Kite

macrumors regular
Jun 7, 2012
153
0
Thinking about the "still have a lot to cover" line in the invite,

Perhaps the iPad Smart Cover will somehow integrate the TouchID sensor. So that your iPad will only unlock if you are the one opening the cover.

Not sure how they'd pull it off but it could happen.

I just can't see the point in a home button touchID on the iPad. Most people use the smart cover, and it would just complicate the process.

That would require a power source in the Smart Cover - something that is too expensive and inconvenient for the end user.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.