New Apple Patent Describes Fingerprint Sensor That Could Work Through Display

[B4U]

The 7 Home button is the equivalent of power-steering for a car—we all still see a steering wheel. Explain how a no home button design plays out on the display. I'm using Notes, how do I get to the Home screen? Explain it in a detailed manner. "A virtual Home button" is not a detailed explanation btw. How is it used?

I am thinking if inside an app, they would just need to implement the multi finger input like the iPad to go back to the home instead of using a physical home button.
Otherwise, they would use the assistive touch currently deployed under the accessibility menu settings.

(BTW, the Caterhan 7 still does not have power steering.)

 

[Waxhead138]

Personally, I think one of the lower corners would be dedicated to being the Home button (switchable in Settings, of course). With this implementation, it avoids placing an annoying fingerprint in the middle of the screen, and I can see Apple revising iOS to shift any lower bar UI functions either left or right (depending on User Home button location preference. Also, such a 'virtual button' would be controlled like the 7's button now.

As it stands in iOS right now, the lower right corner is open for such an implementation (again, this could switch, depending on User pref).

Just my $0.02. In any case, I'm excited to see how this develops!

I see your point and it makes some sense. Would put a real dent in one hand operation however.

 

[JOLoughlin]

Any theories how they will handle the top portion for a full-display design. Top components being the front-camera, the speaker for your ear and the light sensors.

 

[mkz168]

And via a light you only need the tech in a specific locale under the display, not everywhere.
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I'd bet it won't have no bezels. I also fail to see how you replace the Home button virtually? A force gesture from the bottom of the display? A handy power-move, but hardly an intelligent default design to get Home. I'd love to see a fitting alternative to the more physical button we have today [microns movement to sense pressure; permanent physical location]. Perhaps they'll move it to the NC, but that's worse than what we have now. Less convenient, less intuitive.

Don't forget with iOS 10 there is rise to wake function... so the phone might only take prints when you rise your phone or at certain angle plus the sensors to detect lights before it takes your fingerprint.

 

[truthertech]

It's all so confusing. I wish Apple would quit applying for all of these patents. That along with spending $10 billion a year on R&D is very inconsistent with their inability to innovate.

 

[NT1440]

The problem is that the iPhone has a bigger footprint for its screen size than most all of its competition. If you could get rid of the bezels you could have the screen size of a plus in about the footprint of what the 4.7 inch model currently takes up.

I guess I just don't understand how this is a "problem." I like the screen size, and I like the overall shape and feel of iPhones in my hand. I have never once thought there was any functionality I'd gain out of reducing the bezels personally.

 

[Kobayagi]

Well the iPhone 7's home button is already half way there. It's not a physical button any more. It's the next logical evolution.

Yeah, but wouldn't it be weird if they replaced this new home button after just one year? I think we'll have another year of the same design with the 7s, then the 8 will be something different. Like it's been for years. (Well, the 7 didn't change much from the 6s )

I'd like to see the 8 (right after the 7) be something like the mockup too, but I think people only believe this to be true because it's the iPhones' anniversary. But is it Apple-like to do something special on a anniversary?

 

[thekeyring]

The 7 Home button is the equivalent of power-steering for a car—we all still see a steering wheel. Explain how a no home button design plays out on the display. I'm using Notes, how do I get to the Home screen? Explain it in a detailed manner. "A virtual Home button" is not a detailed explanation btw. How is it used?

It appears on screen. But can vanish when you enter a full screen video, for example.

 

[mkz168]

It's all so confusing. I wish Apple would quit applying for all of these patents. That along with spending $10 billion a year on R&D is very inconsistent with their inability to innovate.

Do you rather for Apple to spent this much amount of advertising like some Korean company did? ;p

 

[Ramius]

The iPhone 7 was supposed to have this already.

You blew it Apple.

 

[scapegoat81]

The problem is that the iPhone has a bigger footprint for its screen size than most all of its competition. If you could get rid of the bezels you could have the screen size of a plus in about the footprint of what the 4.7 inch model currently takes up.

I don't know I'd call what I've seen here hysteria, but it makes a lot of sense wanting this from a pocketability and just every day usage standpoint.

I can say I'd feel disappointed if they left the bezels for an invisible button. I don't see a point.
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This is actually already possible with the new home buttons

Hit it right on the head. This is what I'm waiting for. I want a Plus model, but it's too big at the moment

 

[keysofanxiety]

But is it Apple-like to do something special on a anniversary?

Well, there was the TAM... and we know how well that turned out!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twentieth_Anniversary_Macintosh

 

[Uni Grad]

I know they just received the patent but I think we may see this technology in the upcoming MBPros first. The whole trackpad may be a Touch ID surface.

 

[Ramius]

If theres one thing I learned from the launch of iPhone 7, it is that you take all the most exciting rumours about the next phone, and dump them in the trash. Leave only the most boring rumours left, like Apple ditching the head phone jack.

 

[DNichter]

Yes indeed, everyday that passes I'm happier that I _DID NOT_ "upgrade" to the nascent iPhone 7.

It's obvious that the days of the Horrible Haptic Home Button are numbered.

The iPhone 7 will go down in history as Apples worst iPhone ...

There's nothing wrong with enjoying the 7 until the 8 comes out. Never understood this. The 7 is better than anything before it.

 

[doelcm82]

I think it's crazy if it didn't happen (7S next year). Apple have stuck to the S cycle since the 2nd gen iPhone. If the redesign is as dramatic as rumoured, coming out of nowhere rather than small iterations towards this, they'd really want to take their time with it.

That means they've done the "S" cycle a total of four times. Four! And you can't spell "forever" without "four" (plus some place to put the surplus "u").

Certainly this rumored redesign isn't coming out of nowhere. We were talking about it for six months before the release of the iPhone 7.

 

[tridley68]

Looks pretty gorgeous to me! And that's just a mockup.

That's a pretty sweet looking mock up getting excited for the i phone 8
[doublepost=1475596379][/doublepost]Looking forward to the i phone 8 glad i joined the i phone fer life program.

 

[Born Again]

I think we have hit a saturation point

What else can change?

zero bezels

what else?

 

[DotCom2]

The beginnings of the loss of "The Chin".

 

[NT1440]

The iPhone 7 was supposed to have this already.

You blew it Apple.

....according to who?

 

[TMRJIJ]

The problem is that the iPhone has a bigger footprint for its screen size than most all of its competition. If you could get rid of the bezels you could have the screen size of a plus in about the footprint of what the 4.7 inch model currently takes up.

I don't know I'd call what I've seen here hysteria, but it makes a lot of sense wanting this from a pocketability and just every day usage standpoint.

I can say I'd feel disappointed if they left the bezels for an invisible button. I don't see a point.
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This is actually already possible with the new home buttons

This is not an issue. If you wanted a bigger screen, you could've gotten the Plus model. I don't understand this. An iPhone 6-7 can easily fit in pocket regardless of if there were bezels or not.
Not to mention without bezels, your fingers are covering part of the screen depending on what you are doing.

I see no reason or improvement from this 'chinless' fad.

 

[NT1440]

This is not an issue. If you wanted a bigger screen, you could've gotten the Plus model. I don't understand this. An iPhone 6-7 can easily fit in pocket regardless of if there were bezels or not.
Not to mention without bezels, your fingers are covering part of the screen depending on what you are doing.

I see no reason or improvement from this 'chinless' fad.

Agreed. To me it's the same mentality that complains about the "chin" on the iMac....what difference does it make other than armchair designers and manufacturers yelling into the wind?

 

[CiccioAtSea]

This could be interesting IN THE FUTURE in my opinion,

I think they could start by simply putting the fingerprint reader on the back of the phone, for example. That would probably be much more feasible within one year, while keep working in the display integration for future devices.

 

[rGiskard]

Sweet. I will happily rock iOS 10 on my 6 Plus for another year.

Apple unquestionably lead the smartphone market in fingerprint ID tech. It's worth a lot to me to have a secure, easy to use smartphone.

 

[fallenjt]

Just further confirms what's coming soon. No bezels, no home button, touch ID in the screen... it's gonna be tough to wait for this to be released.

No bezel? you must be crazy. Apple doesn't design a phone to add no benefit and weaken the structure of the phone. Bezel less is purely for the look and has no usability. Since when Apple did that?