Rumors Persist About Apple Placing Touch ID on Back of iPhone 8

[nutriousmitten]

Be interesting to see if the Note 8 can win the race to the under screen fingerprint sensor as that would be a major coup for Samsung this Fall.

Do you really think Apple under Steve Jobs would turn out something that doesn't work the way it was planned? They'd wait until next year. Sure the bigger screen and wireless and fast charging would be upgrades as would facial recognition, but all that equates to equalling what will be a 6 month old S8 design and features with a differently placed fingerprint sensor.

However, with the current design already woefully behind the competition and Ive having an army of industrial designers at their disposal, nevermind all their other resources, Apple also can't justify releasing only a 7s with upgraded internals for another entire year, as the flagship.

 

[izyreal]

Tim Cook is an industrial systems engineer. That means that by training he values an optimized system above all else. Unfortunately, the system he is optimizing is the iPhone production system. That means that the system that is the iPhone itself is compromised in favor of the production system.

Tim needs to learn that the product ultimately matters more than the production.

 

[ArcaneDevice]

What if the Apple logo is the Touch ID?

A sensor on the back is awkward and not the most ergonomic choice no matter what phone it is on, but if Apple are not going to just use the Apple logo as the sensor it would be a bigger waste.

It's the right size, would keep with the existing aesthetic and cuts down on manufacturing by reducing the need for extra machining for the hole. Either make the sensor larger than the logo cutout or just make the sensor smaller and match the logo color.

 

[richinaus]

I'd rather an aluminum iPhone 7S with the fingerprint sensor on the front, instead of a glass/stainless steel iPhone 8 with a fingerprint sensor on the back with wireless charging.

you said it for me. If this is the new phone, I will stick with the 7....... really its all extra gimmicks. What has really improved since the 6 except the camera. For me the phone has reached a level of functionality now, that very little they can do will get me excited.

 

[2010mini]

If that happens then the 7 will be the furthest I will go.

How does one engage a rear finger scanner when their devise is sitting in a dock? Or in a cradle in the dashboard, or car AC vent?

Front facing finger scanners are made to easily use multiple fingerprints when the phone is sitting face up on a table. Or even holding it in your hand (I can hold with one hand and use a fingerprint on my opposite hand if I need to without turning the phone around.

Never understood who some manufacturers decided to put it on the rear.

 

[sdiori]

Emailing Tim now to get this cleared up.

 

[5105973]

I got used to it quickly on my S8+. In fact, I now prefer the location of the sensor in that seemingly ridiculous position next to the rear camera lens. It is very strange what some of us get used to and discover we prefer when presented with new options. When my S8+ is on the desk I use my pass code to unlock.

I no longer use a dash mount system now that I have a new truck, so I can't speak for the inconvenience that would have caused me. Android has trusted locations and devices I could use in tandem to keep the phone unlocked on a dash mount system. But there are security trade offs with that option, unless you're willing to go into settings and toggle it off every time you have a security concern. I can certainly understand how this use case scenario would be a deal breaker for some IPhone users.

At any rate, this rear mounted fingerprint scanner solution, while not ideal for Apple users, is one that has long been adopted in the Android world and actually has won over many people who prefer it. So if other aspects of the IPhone 8 appeal to you, keep an open mind about this possibility. Some of you may end up finding out it's not the deal breaker you thought it would be.

 

[OneMike]

I don't see them positioning a camera like that. So close to the edge you'll get some nice index finger pics.

 

[lowendlinux]

I prefer a rear sensor

 

[CWallace]

Never understood who some manufacturers decided to put it on the rear.

It wasn't by choice. As all these articles have noted, getting it to work under the glass display seems to be really problematic. I am guessing it works, but not well. If you have to try three or four (or even more) times to unlock the display, the functionality becomes a detriment, not a benefit.

As annoying as it is to have it on the back, it's better than fighting trying to get it to work from the front. Because of this issue, Samsung decided to move it to the back and Apple might have to, as well.

Be interesting to see if the Note 8 can win the race to the under screen fingerprint sensor as that would be a major coup for Samsung this Fall.

That it's on the back of their phone right now is a pretty clear sign Samsung couldn't get it to work, either. I expect Apple is investing more effort on it than Samsung so if anyone will have it this year, it will be Apple, IMO.

 

[Unami]

"If you see a touchID on the back, they blew it"

SJ, Hell

 

[Eadfrith]

It was reported that Apple were testing many different designs of iPhone 8, and what we have been seeing in these leaks with conflicting designs over the past month or so is consistent with that.

 

[pbasmadj]

No interest. For the first time in Apple iPhone history I skipped the 7, and probably will skip this if it looks like that. Pay for a phone that does the same thing, no thanks. If you use a case, that back sensor will look TERRIBLE with a cutout. Everything about this rumor just looks awful. Nope, not going to pay for it, but I know a lot of sheeple will.

 

[deany]

It wasn't by choice. As all these articles have noted, getting it to work under the glass display seems to be really problematic. I am guessing it works, but not well. If you have to try three or four (or even more) times to unlock the display, the functionality becomes a detriment, not a benefit.

As annoying as it is to have it on the back, it's better than fighting trying to get it to work from the front. Because of this issue, Samsung decided to move it to the back and Apple might have to, as well.



That it's on the back of their phone right now is a pretty clear sign Samsung couldn't get it to work, either. It may be something both OEMs need to wait on.

Well then thats one less iPhone 10 year loyal customer.
As I unlock my iPhone on a flat surface a fair bit.

 

[Westside guy]

Wherever they put the fingerprint sensor... it'll be courageous.

Seriously... I can't think of how that's at all useful on a large device. People certainly are complaining about the S8's sensor... although putting it right next to the camera likely exacerbates the problem.

 

[CWallace]

Well then thats one less iPhone 10 year loyal customer.
As I unlock my iPhone on a flat surface a fair bit.

Yes, I agree that if Apple is forced to put the sensor on the back I will likely either continue to hold onto my iPhone 6 Plus (still works fine for what I need) or get the "7s", instead. But I will do so understanding it was technical limitations and not Apple being arseholes.

 

[macpanzer]

Might as well buy an LG then and save a lot of $ as usability will be equally poor.
I hope Apple will find a better solution than placing the fingerprint scanner on the back on the phone...

 

[JohnMaldaner]

From a practical standpoint, touch ID on the back just doesn't work. For one, you won't be able to unlock the phone while it's sitting on your desk, which immediately takes away 50% of your unlock options. Also, a case would have to have a cutout on the rear to accommodate, adding to the phone's vulnerability. Then there's the issue with car mounts - I often unlock while it's clipped into its dash mount to access the maps. (While stationary, of course). All seems like a step back.

Exactly! If they do put it on the back, it's a deal-breaker for me, for all the reasons you list.

 

[Sasparilla]

I'm sure it would still sell like crazy, but not like it would with the fingerprint sensor integrated into the display and no bezels top or bottom. Since Apple already ordered the displays they can't go back - but it'd be better to put it off a year and just do 7s's than give us a S8 (small bezel) / Pixel (fingerprint sensor in middle of back) mishmash for a significantly higher price. I've played with a Pixel for a while and its fingerprint sensor placement (like this one) is much better / easier to use than the S8 one, but this is a big issue - I'd rather have big bezels and the sensor on the front than the sensor on the back and small bezels.

I'll have no issues skipping this for a significantly cheaper 7s. A bezelless display integrated fingerprint sensor iPhone 8, I'd have a hard time not paying the xtra money for. JMHO...

What if the Apple logo is the Touch ID?

This would be cool, still a step down from in front, but a cool use of the apple symbol.

 

[deany]

Yes, I agree that if Apple is forced to put the sensor on the back I will likely either continue to hold onto my iPhone 6 Plus (still works fine for what I need) or get the "7s", instead. But I will do so understanding it was technical limitations and not Apple being arseholes.

Apple shouldn't bring the iPhone to market if its 'half finished'.

 

[EvilEvil]

This will be Apple's Mighty Mouse with the charging port underneath of poor design decisions of 2017.

 

[downtherabbithole]

The sensor below the logo like that looks so ridiculous. I'd rather look at that row of symbols they used to have.

 

[zorinlynx]

No, it is entirely by choice. There's no reason to move the sensor. If they can't do a sensor through the display, then keep the current design with the sensor below the display.

I don't understand this obsession with an edge to edge display. The iPhone looks great the way it is now and has been since 2007.

It wasn't by choice. As all these articles have noted, getting it to work under the glass display seems to be really problematic. I am guessing it works, but not well. If you have to try three or four (or even more) times to unlock the display, the functionality becomes a detriment, not a benefit.

As annoying as it is to have it on the back, it's better than fighting trying to get it to work from the front. Because of this issue, Samsung decided to move it to the back and Apple might have to, as well.



That it's on the back of their phone right now is a pretty clear sign Samsung couldn't get it to work, either. I expect Apple is investing more effort on it than Samsung so if anyone will have it this year, it will be Apple, IMO.

 

[EM2013]

Come on Apple innovate!

 

[ThisBougieLife]

Is having bezelless so important that it's worth the fingerprint sensor on the back?

I guess I don't care as much. I'd rather have a bezel if it means the fingerprint sensor gets to stay on the front.