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Stupid question, why doesn't Apple put TouchID on Macbooks?

throAU said:
Skylake CPUs do have a secure portion of the CPU, so maybe Touch ID on the Mac isn't so far off.
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Fingerprint ID on Windows kinda sucks though. It's nowhere near as slick or secure as Touch ID.

It's been around 10 years or more, we were getting laptops with fingerprint ID at work in 2007 and prior.
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Thanks! Had no idea that the Skylakes had that. I wonder if it was Apple pushing for this, would definitely make it a candidate for Touch ID.
 
I think Microsoft is using it to store the login information for Windows Hello, which supports fingerprints, iris scan and facial recognition.
 
You are waiting for TouchID and I am waiting for WiGig. There are so many features Apple could add, that the hardware supports. Also, where is the wireless charging that Intel added to Skylake chips? New MB 12'' doesn't support it.
No new MBP for me unless there is WiGig.
 
Slightly on topic ...

Have you looked into any of the iPhone to Mac auth systems? Some pretty cool options, I'm using Near Lock it integrates with OS X, and let's you auto lock/unlock your machine when your phone moves away/close (you can set the activate distance), it also let's you authenticate via TouchID, including any system prompt for auth, and use an Apple Watch to unlock (via a tap), and monitor requests for auth. Price is right too, free. :)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/near-lock-lock-unlock-your/id886882252?mt=8
 
The secure enclave thing is from the ARM SoC. Not sure if it is available from an Intel CPU or similar components on a PC/Mac, in comparable costs.
 
throAU said:
If the NSA want your fingerprints, they'll get them.

But why would they need them?
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This is more of a PRSI thing, but there are considerations... fingerprints are much easier to hack than strong passwords. And the government (at least in the US) does seem to view privacy law as fundamentally affecting passwords in a different way than biometrics.

But for most of us, who are law abiding, and who nobody is going to 3D print our fingerprints to break into our computers... it does seem like it would be a reasonable amount of security in a much more convenient package. Anyways, if the rumor turned out to be true that the trackpad were modified in a way that would allow it to capture the fingerprints, that would be pretty cool!
 
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