Though I have a graveyard of three iPads and an Apple TV somewhere in my house I've been out of the Apple ecosystem since the iPhone 4. I'm really confused. Do iPhones not have touch ID? How do you get in? As a Samsung user we have face recognition, PIN number, pattern or touch ID. I've been using touch ID for so many years I didn't even realize other phones didn't have them. I'm also wondering how this adds security to your watch? When my Samsung ultra detaches for my wrist it automatically goes into lock mode and you have to input your code or pattern. At what point would you need touch ID for your watch? I guess the most useful would be when you use your Apple pay. Just thinking out loud. No one needs to respond.
A major hardware upgrade for the Apple Watch lineup is planned for next year, findings in internal Apple code suggest.
According to lines of internal code spotted by Macworld and subsequently confirmed by MacRumors, Apple has been experimenting with biometric authentication for 2026's Apple Watch lineup. The code mentions support for "AppleMesa," which is Apple's codename for Touch ID, suggesting that prototype models currently offer the feature in some way.
It is worth noting that no other Apple Watch models, including the upcoming 2025 lineup, include code for Touch ID. How exactly Touch ID would be implemented on the Apple Watch is unclear, but the company could opt to place it under the display like some Android smartphones, or integrate it into the side button.
Touch ID on the Apple Watch could make the device more secure, reducing reliance on short numerical passwords. In fact, the security of processes such as Apple Pay could be considerably enhanced with on-device biometric authentication.
Apple could still abandon the Touch ID sensor on the prototype models and strip references to it out of its internal code, but the possibility of the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 touting the feature should now be taken seriously.
The code also reveals that the models "N237" (Apple Watch Series 12), "N238" (Apple Watch Series 12 with cellular connectivity), and "N240" (Apple Watch Ultra 4) will contain an all-new CPU with the identifier "T8320." The S9 and S10 chips, as well as the upcoming S11, are all essentially the same chip with the identifier "T8310," indicating that a meaningful S-series chip upgrade is highly likely next year.
Beyond Touch ID and a faster chip, the code suggests that 2026's Apple Watch lineup will be a considerable upgrade more broadly. The new series is identified as "Watch8;" the Series 9, 10, and 11 are all identified as "Watch7," pointing to a significant departure from previous models in 2026. Seemingly corroborating this, DigiTimes last week reported that significant design changes are coming to the Apple Watch next year.
Article Link: New Apple Watch With Touch ID and More Uncovered in Leaked Code
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New Apple Watch With Touch ID and More Uncovered in Leaked Code
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If someone has access to my Apple Watch while it's unlocked, that means I'm wearing it. If I'm sleeping or knocked out, I suppose they could unlock said sensitive data using my finger, so I like things we way they are.
I think the crown is too small for Touch ID. The side button seems more likely. Or under screen if Apple can figure out how to do that well.
I'm honestly trying to figure out what kind of data is on the Watch that is all that sensitive?
You can set your phone to unlock it. If it's unlocked while the watch is on your wrist.
Watch app on phone/passcode/Unlock with iPhone
Health data, password and note apps, Apple Maps, and mail just to name a few.
I don’t follow. You say biometrics is a gimmick, but also you should never have to enter a password. Isn’t that what biometrics is for, to not have to enter a password?
Disagree. What makes Apple Pay so useful is its simplicity, double-press. touched is unreliable and would add a level of complexity to the process. Touched on my iPhone probably had about a 75% succes rate and on my iPad maybe 80%. I would consider this a step backwards.
I do not recall ever seeing a thread or story on MR that people got their Watch “Hacked” and got impacted by thieves using Apple Pay on their watch …
Stupid move if true.
Just because it is updated yearly doesn’t mean you need to buy one.
And Ultra hasn’t been updated in 2 years …
I use my iPhone to unlock my watch, only time I have to enter my passcode is when watchOS updates happen.
OMG I’m used to the negativity in the comments, but I didn’t expect to find it in this post. It’s so obvious how Touch ID would help on the watch… maybe you think it’s not worth it, but that’s far from “it’s useless”, “a gimmick” or “who wanted this”.
I'm saying you pretty much always have to still enter a password and it sucks. my Mac has Touch ID. why should I ever have to type my password? yet I do at least once a day if not more. my vision pro I have to type a password every time I turn it on, my watch every time I put it on etc.
"Leftover stock," what? Apple's current mainstream and entry-level iPads use Touch ID.
How would it be helpful? I unlock the watch via my iPhone and only enter passcode for watchOS updates.
There is zero benefit having touched on the watch. Setup a longer than 4 digit passcode for added security
Sounds like a you problem—the only time I ever have to enter my Mac password is after I restart it.
Please list out what is "so obvious", because I can't think of anything.
Great idea for the four months per year when my area when everyone will be wearing gloves, too. 🙄
The system Apple currently uses is SO insecure—my iPhone frequently unlocks my Watch when the Watch is just sitting on the desk.
but why? why should that even be a thing. I NEVER want to enter my password. that should be the point of biometrics
Well, so we do t hear about stolen watches and it is a problem? Don’t create problems if they don’t exist.
And there is very little data stored on the watch and certainly even less “sensitive” data, eg health data is constantly synced to the iPhone …
Same, but also very occasionally when my phone isn’t around. Others use their Watch without their iPhone often though.
Have never had that happening and I’ve been using AW since S0