Sketchy Rumor Claims MacBooks, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad to Gain Touch ID

[gnasher729]

It makes more ergonomic sense to place the sensor in the bezel as part of the screen.

It's fairly awkward to get your thumbflat on the top when you're sat in front of it.

Using my MacBook as a laptop, _one_ thumb is no problem, depending on which side the sensor would be. But then I also have four more fingers on each hand. I'd hate to have to touch the screen.

 

[freediverx]

Touch ID would be of little use on a MBP and even less useful on a Magic Mouse or Trackpad. The benefit of having it on your phone is because it allows you to have complex passcodes that would be difficult to enter on a tiny keyboard. That's not an issue on a laptop keyboard.

Complex passwords are a pain in the ass regardless of which keyboard you're using. Having TouchID or some similar secure biometric authentication on ALL your devices not only makes sense, but it is the inevitable direction we're headed. While this may not make sense to people who continue to use simple, short passwords it makes a world of difference to anyone with the sense to use secure passwords, especially for mobile devices including MacBooks.

----------

On the Macbook, possible. Even somewhat logical. Not above the trackpad though.

On the other two? Doesn't make much sense to me. Installing a security device on a seperate object / accessory to a device? I doubt many people lose their trackpad or mouse, but the potential is there.

Why wouldn't it make sense on a trackpad? I use secure passwords and they're a pain to enter, including on my iMac. Having TouchID on my trackpad would solve the problem.

What does losing your trackpad or mouse have to do with anything? The device will not store your login credentials and if lost you can simply log in by typing your password as you can do now on iOS devices.

 

[b0nd18t]

This is a no brainer move for apple. Maybe this particular rumor isnt true, but it HAS to eventually happen. Say goodbye to passwords forever, and finally secure online payments. Whats a touch id (with their ridiculous economies of scale) even cost?

 

[Bhatu]

That's a valid reason for launching a redesigned ill-designed magic mouse!

 

[KindredMAC]

Personally I would put it on the keyboard, but either way this news just makes sense.

Ever since Touch ID debuted, I have wanted to have it on my Macs so that I didn't have to enter my password every time I was logging in, waking it from sleep/screen saver, and especially purchasing something online/iTunes.

 

[monaarts]

it wouldn't surprise me at all. I can see it being implemented directly on the trackpad and mouse.

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-files-patent-for-fingerprint-sensor-beneath-touchscreen-2015-2

bingo!

 

[b0nd18t]

please Apple redesign that damn! SOAP mouse!!! lacks on ergonomics!

The magic mouse is completely unusable to me. So uncomfortable. But it looks cool right?

 

[deconstruct60]

....
The addition of a built-in fingerprint scanner on the latest MacBooks, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad would enable Apple to make an aggressive push into the mobile payments industry with Apple Pay. The NFC-based mobile payments platform is currently limited to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and will be compatible with the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5 when paired with an Apple Watch.

Simply adding a TouchID scanner will not make a MacBook , mouse , or trackpad a NFC-base mobile payment platform. No NFC means no NFC-platform. So as a mobile payment system this is beyond extremely dubious.

All this might be is a laptop fingerprint sensor that allows to skip typing passwords. It would feed into Apple's online stores and other online stores that tap into ApplePay. That isn't necessarily restricted to mobile.
Instead of "1 click" to buy mode it is "1 click" and swipe finger which is a tad more secure. [ e.g., certainly can keep young child from buying apps for the Mac when parent steps away . ]

 

[dannyyankou]

bingo!

It can also extend to the Apple Watch.

 

[kristoffer4]

Sketchy Rumor Claims MacBooks, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad to Gain Touch ID

I really hoppe this happens! Would love to be able to unlock my mac and 1password with it!

 

[LordQ]

Touch ID? They haven't even brought Siri to OS X.

 

[wizard]

You really don't understand Touch ID do you?

Touch ID would be of little use on a MBP and even less useful on a Magic Mouse or Trackpad. The benefit of having it on your phone is because it allows you to have complex passcodes that would be difficult to enter on a tiny keyboard.

The benefit is a hard to break biometric access system.

That's not an issue on a laptop keyboard.

This has nothing to do with the Keyboard.

There are already apps that will allow you to unlock your MBP with your iPhone or iPad if you really need that functionality. Why mess up the design of the MM & MTP or the MBP for that matter.

It is called an improvement. Improvements only mess up things for simple minds others take those improvements and run with them.

 

[iSee]

What happens if the Magic Mouse goes missing, i.e., laptop stolen or I forget the mouse?

I think having the touchid sensor on the laptop works better. I'd rather not use the mouse with touchid.

That's what the rumor says: for laptops, the scanner would be located on the computer.

This would be very welcome. For security, I put a password on my laptop, and boy is it annoying at times. I'd love to keep most of the security and the convenience of touchid

 

[wizard]

Yep. I'm totally amazed about the number of people who doesn't realize this. Do they seriously think it would be a separate "button"?

Actually yes because the metal ring is an important part of getting Touch ID to work.

Hiding it under the trackpad on MacBook or under the glass surface of magic mouse will be much more convenient and awesome.

That will only happen if they realize a different approach to detecting your finger prints.

----------

There are a few reasonable obstacles, however, that suggest this rumor may not be true. First, there is limited space above the trackpad on MacBooks for Apple to implement Touch ID, especially on the upcoming 12-inch MacBook Air. Meanwhile, integrating Touch ID on the Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad would be complex due to the need for secure wireless transmitting authentication.

This isn't reasonable!

I'm not sure who wrote this but it is assinine to assume that Apples notebook designs are static. Touch ID will come to these machines in some form or another, it is almost inevitable. In fact I'd consider I key facility for an upgrade justification.

 

[J. Jizzle]

I can understand the MacBook getting Touch ID, but why would the Magic Mouse & Track Pad need it?

EDIT: I apologize. This question has already been asked & answered.

 

[breeeeathe]

I could see them adding it to the MacBook, especially if they make the entire trackpad surface Touch-ID capable. Macs are higher-end, higher margin products. Implementing something like that on a mouse would require doing the same thing across the whole surface (or else it gets too complicated/clunky), which I think at this point would be prohibitively expensive, unless Apple has come up with some magical solution. Aren't the trackpads already covered in glass? Just upgrade that with a sapphire coating.

This would, of course, be a test and precursor to doing the same on the iPhone, probably in the iPhone 7. Make the whole surface touch ID compatible, and then just put your finger on the screen anywhere to unlock. Or even if it's just the part along the bottom where the "Swipe to unlock" would have been. Then with force touch we can finally move away from having any buttons on the front of the device, enabling tiny bezels and smaller devices. Sure, it's less obvious, but it will happen eventually. And Apple will make it more obvious somehow with software and hardware design.

there may have 2 different models if you by the mouse by its self, with and without touch id. what would be really cool if it was connected to the apple watch and recognizes you when you get near it (after you put the code in the morning) and locks it when you walk away (all changelale in a menu e.g; do not lock when not in proximity etc etc i can't wait!

 

[jml12286]

I can understand the MacBook getting Touch ID, but why would the Magic Mouse & Track Pad need it?

People who have their computers closed on a stand and use an external monitor, or mac minis and Mac pros.

 

[J. Jizzle]

People who have their computers closed on a stand and use an external monitor, or mac minis and Mac pros.

I apologize for asking this question again. If I would have read the comments more closely before replying I would have seen that the question has already been asked & answered. I can see the reason now.

 

[BCWorld]

Really don't see the point of this. Been using macs for many years, I have never had a lock screen on mine.

 

[crsh1976]

I don't think it's going to be on the keyboard, there are too many keyboard layouts. The right alt/option is key is useless though on US keyboards. The touch id would somehow compromise the continuous, sleek aluminum design if it was placed anywhere else (like the old power buttons on the corner of the macbooks).

Why not embed the TouchID reader in the trackpad?

----------

The magic mouse is completely unusable to me. So uncomfortable. But it looks cool right?

I came to love my Magic Mouse, no doubt it's not super ergonomic but I got used to it. My biggest grip is with the sketchy Bluetooth connection/reliability, it seems worse under Yosemite than ever (add sketchy Wifi reliability as well).

 

[AppleInLVX]

It would be great to unlock my MacBook Pro with TouchID. I figured they'd place it where the power button used to be on pre-retina MBP's. Fairly inconspicuous location, especially if body colored.

That's my thinking, too. Why not just build it into the power on as a touch-but-not-press feature, same as iPhone?

it'd make using Apple Pay when purchasing online a lot easier, nevermind unlocking your computer. I like it, as least as an idea.

 

[newagemac]

The magic mouse is completely unusable to me. So uncomfortable. But it looks cool right?

The magic mouse is the most ergonomic mouse I've ever used. It completely got rid of the pain in my right wrist from long periods of use working on my laptop.

My guess is you tried "gripping" the mouse like you would a regular mouse. You're not supposed to "grip" it AT ALL. Just rest your arm/wrist on the table and let your fingers just lay on the mouse. I work in egonomics and this design (not having to grip it) is exactly what makes it so comfortable and less stressful on your tendons.

 

[macduke]

there may have 2 different models if you by the mouse by its self, with and without touch id. what would be really cool if it was connected to the apple watch and recognizes you when you get near it (after you put the code in the morning) and locks it when you walk away (all changelale in a menu e.g; do not lock when not in proximity etc etc i can't wait!

That's actually something I thought about back when they announced the Apple Watch and how Apple Pay works with it. I use a severely long password on my Mac (correct horse battery staple method salted with a few special characters) and being able to unlock it with the Apple Watch would actually make it a much more compelling purchase for me, as ridiculous as that might sound. What would be even better is if the thing would lock my Mac when I leave my desk, and then unlock when I walk back into the room.

 

[3goldens]

Why?

Do you waste our time on "Sketchy" stories like this. Is it because just in case it does in fact happen you can say "heard here first"?

To me, its just another example of this sites desperate attempt to stay relevent by printing just about anything you hear. I had a lot of respect for this site once, no longer.

 

[bigchrisfgb]

Isn't the track pads on MBP's and standalone made of glass? If so would it not be possible to replace it with sapphire and have the whole trackpad a Touch ID sensor?