Since touchid is so fast, is it time for Apple to allow touchid to answer a call?

[tresmith]

I was just think that touchid is quick enough and works well enough to allow for answering calls. It should be an option for people who don't want anyone answering their phone.

 

[bluechair1984]

That's a really good idea

 

[iMatt.]

Yeah, it actually is a very good idea.

Hoping they allow us to go a step further in a future iOS and TouchID-Protect certain apps e.g. photos and messages.

 

[Blujelly]

yeah true I like the idea of this, an option that you can turn on. I'm just trying to think of any dis-advantages of this.

 

[bluechair1984]

yeah true I like the idea of this, an option that you can turn on. I'm just trying to think of any dis-advantages of this.

I suppose if for some reason you are hurt and someone needs to answer your phone to tell someone that could be a problem.

 

[gixxerfool]

I am trying to figure a good use case for this. I can't recall many, or any, incidents with nefarious telephone answering. Calling out, sure, but not answering.

 

[jermy4]

I suppose if for some reason you are hurt and someone needs to answer your phone to tell someone that could be a problem.

I think the slide to answer should stay along with this option ... slide to answer or use touch id

 

[TedJustAdmitit]

I actually thought (stupidly) that maybe this was an option yesterday and looked to see if I could answer my phone that way. Just seems like such a natural thing to have.

 

[mcdj]

If you're a secret agent, tied to a chair in a warehouse in the desert, and a huge bald guy with gold teeth has your phone, and you've been expecting a call from the head office for the drop off location of the plutonium bars stolen from the sheikh, and your bald captor can imitate your voice perfectly, or worse, has a little box he talks into that changes his voice to yours, then damn right you're gonna want Touch ID to answer your call!

But the bald guy would probably just cut off your finger anyway.

 

[barondebxl]

Excellent idea indeed.

 

[tresmith]

I suppose if for some reason you are hurt and someone needs to answer your phone to tell someone that could be a problem.

If that was the case, you can still dial 911 in a medical emergency. Probably the better option anyway if the person is seriously hurt.

I was thinking that a scenario where you would want someone to answer your phone is if you lose phone somewhere and want to dial it to see if a good samaritan had found it. I was thinking that just like you can still dial 911 on a locked phone, Apple should implement a "dial emergency contact" on a locked phone. This way a good samaritan can call someone to report a lost phone or in the case someone is too drunk to get home safely, a person can dial their emergency contact to come pick them up.

 

[Zimmy68]

Not to jump on your idea but I think a better application, and one I thought was going to be there on day one, is to wake up the phone with TouchID (not having to press the home button).

 

[noobinator]

Agree with the poster above that if someone finds your lost phone and you call it (assuming find my iPhone is off for some reason) then this would be bad.

 

[bpeeps]

Touch ID to answer a phone call? What? If you're using the phone and you get a call, the chances of accidentally answering increase tenfold. Not everyone wants to answer every call. With how fast Touch ID is - accidental answering is bound to happen when you grab your phone. People who want to just check notifications are complaining that they're accidentally unlocking their phones and going right to the home screen. How would this be advantageous to the user? You lose your phone and try calling it, no one else can pick up the call. You get into an accident/trouble and a loved one calls you, paramedics, doctors, etc, no one else can answer your phone. This doesn't sound like a useful feature and I'm surprised at all the exclamations of YEAH AWESOME!!

 

[nj-morris]

Or tap it to take a picture? Don't know why, but it bothers me how the shutter release button is right next to the home button.

 

[CNeufeld]

I realize it was proposed as an option... But they'd have to figure out a plan to handle Bluetooth/handfree answering. Would this disable those methods of answering the phone? Would you have to dig your phone out of your pocket and TouchID it, rather than just clicking the "answer" button on your headset or car system?

C

 

[dilap]

If that was the case, you can still dial 911 in a medical emergency. Probably the better option anyway if the person is seriously hurt.

I was thinking that a scenario where you would want someone to answer your phone is if you lose phone somewhere and want to dial it to see if a good samaritan had found it. I was thinking that just like you can still dial 911 on a locked phone, Apple should implement a "dial emergency contact" on a locked phone. This way a good samaritan can call someone to report a lost phone or in the case someone is too drunk to get home safely, a person can dial their emergency contact to come pick them up.

You can do this now with Medical ID.

 

[tresmith]

Touch ID to answer a phone call? What? If you're using the phone and you get a call, the chances of accidentally answering increase tenfold. Not everyone wants to answer every call. With how fast Touch ID is - accidental answering is bound to happen when you grab your phone. People who want to just check notifications are complaining that they're accidentally unlocking their phones and going right to the home screen. How would this be advantageous to the user? You lose your phone and try calling it, no one else can pick up the call. You get into an accident/trouble and a loved one calls you, paramedics, doctors, etc, no one else can answer your phone. This doesn't sound like a useful feature and I'm surprised at all the exclamations of YEAH AWESOME!!

I understand your critiques but it would just be an option for those who want it. I'm sure the people who place a high value on privacy and security would use this feature.

Also I said in a previous post that just like you can call 911 on a locked phone, Apple can set it up that you can call an emergency contact(s), like a spouse or adult child, from the emergency screen in case the phone is recovered or the person is in trouble. That's pretty much all you would need.

 

[tresmith]

You can do this now with Medical ID.

Thanks...that's exactly what I was thinking about.

I realize it was proposed as an option... But they'd have to figure out a plan to handle Bluetooth/handfree answering. Would this disable those methods of answering the phone? Would you have to dig your phone out of your pocket and TouchID it, rather than just clicking the "answer" button on your headset or car system?

C

Good point but I think bluetooth/handsfree answering could be left as is. Cause when you think about it when you use bluetooth it's usually paired to a device that's on you or very close by. so the security/privacy risk is minimal. touchid would protect your phone when you've been totally separated from it.

 

[CNeufeld]

Thanks...that's exactly what I was thinking about.



Good point but I think bluetooth/handsfree answering could be left as is. Cause when you think about it when you use bluetooth it's usually paired to a device that's on you or very close by. so the security/privacy risk is minimal. touchid would protect your phone when you've been totally separated from it.

Except if you plug in a wired headset, you can answer by clicking the button on the headset... Minor tweak in existing functionality.

C