Why does Apple chose to make Touch ID useless?

[SomeGuyDude]

I don't know what the OP is talking about. I use touch ID on all my purchases in the App store and it's how I unlock the phone literally every single time I use it.

 

[I7guy]

I feel like, iPhone 5S features are for iOS 8. Think about that, a 64-bit processor, Motion coprocessor and finger print scanner, I feel like Apple is preparing for something but I have no idea right now. And slogan of iPhone 5S makes me even more suspicious ''Forward Thinking'' maybe Apple's Next Big Thing will be iOS 8.

You're suspicious of apple? Enjoy the 5s; don't worry about iOS 8 and iPhone 6. Isn't the 5s forward thinking with the under the covers technologies and Touch ID?

 

[Cyborg21]

You're suspicious of apple? Enjoy the 5s; don't worry about iOS 8 and iPhone 6. Isn't the 5s forward thinking with the under the covers technologies and Touch ID?

No, you get me wrong, maybe ''suspicious'' was the wrong word. Maybe Apple wants to add new features that will use 64-bit Apple A7, Apple M7 and Touch ID and they didn't released them with iOS 7, so they can release iOS 8, iPhone 6, iWatch (or iBand?) and new Apple TV so they can create a new ''wow'' effect. Touch ID is already very useful but there are tons of things Apple can do with it (like Mobile Purchases)

 

[Xenomorph]

I use Touch ID flawlessly several times, every day. It is incredibly useful and works well.
It unlocks my device, lets me download apps, and even lets me make some purchases.

I would not consider that useless.

 

[JackieInCo]

I've never encountered a "time-out" issue when using TouchID with the iTunes/App Store. The only time I need to enter my password is when I've restarted the phone and then try to buy something in the App/iTunes Store. Just as long as I don't restart my phone, TouchID works all the time after that initial password entry.

Yes, this is the only time I've had it reset also.

 

[SMIDG3T]

Touch ID brought the first fingerprint sensor device that just works to mass consumers, and no competitor even the S5 is even close to the same tech. Yet Apple chooses to cripple the feature instead of making it one of the main reasons to own an iPhone.

Even Apple's current paltry implementation sucks...you literally have to use your password every time any typical iTunes user buys things on the iTunes stores. The expiration time is just too short. Does Apple not trust its own fingerprint tech to make it the default and be used every time?

I dont understand why they don't make Touch ID used every time for all their services and have the password only as a backup, instead of the other way around.

Imagine Touch ID being used as the mainstream authentication method that all services including third party apps can use? Log into an email account? BAM Touch ID...Buy something off the Amazon app...BAM Touch ID...Log into Facebook...Touch ID

Come on Apple don't lose the ball on one of your main hardware gems on the iPhone, Samsung is already filling the gap and is already opening up its fingerprint sensor to third parties (Paypal for one).

I'm 50/50 with you on this.

Firstly, do you really mean Touch ID is useless? It's not is it. You can unlock your device with it, it's quick, saves a lot of time (well, for me it does as I have a 28 letter password!) and you can buy content from both stores.

Secondly, Touch ID will be available to developers when iOS 8 is released, I'm pretty certain. Two reasons. One, Samsung have allowed developers access to their "fingerprint sensor" (yes, I put it in quotes because Touch ID simply blows Samsung's out of the water) so Apple will do the same and the other reason is simply, bugs. Apple want to find all the bugs with Touch ID before releasing it to developers.

And yes, it would be awesome if apps like Facebook, Twitter, PayPal, eBay used Touch ID. Hopefully in a few months we will know if this will actually happen!

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You said it. My sister's fiance just got the Galaxy S5, & the ID sensor is a complete joke. Not only does it barely function, but you can try over & over & over, countless times with the incorrect finger & you are never asked for a passcode.

And you have to make sure you swipe the CENTER of your finger down the pad if not it won't read it. Oh, and you have to swipe the whole pad from the top to the bottom. Touch ID, apply your finger at any orientation and it reads it bloody fast!

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You said it. My sister's fiance just got the Galaxy S5, & the ID sensor is a complete joke. Not only does it barely function, but you can try over & over & over, countless times with the incorrect finger & you are never asked for a passcode.

And you have to make sure you swipe the CENTER of your finger down the pad if not it won't read it. Oh, and you have to swipe the whole pad from the top to the bottom. Touch ID, apply your finger at any orientation and it reads it bloody fast!

 

[itjw]

Or you could jailbreak and use it like you'd expect TODAY.

I can unlock my phone without having to even press the home button to wake it first (VitualHome) and assign Fingerprint Protection to any app I choose (BioLockDown). I even have it set to where it requires my fingerprint to power it off (Asphaleia) (yes, you can still do a "hard" reset, but how many theifs know to do that in three minutes it'll take for them to discover my phone can't be shut off conventially?).

There are of course a TON of other uses (assigning a fingerprint to an Activator action for example), but jailbreaking has once again solved a problem that Apple refused to.

Could I live without it? Sure, but why? No reason to. Enjoy it NOW.

Unless you aren't on a fw under 7.1... then it's just a waiting game I guess.

 

[AndrewR23]

TouchID is absolutely awesome for me with Virtual Home. I honestly do not remember the last time I pressed my home button.

 

[coldjeanzzz]

I'm actually surprised touch ID works as well as it does on the iPhone. Sometimes these new features work like absolute crap (as seen on the S5), but Apple really works hard to make their stuff works well before releasing it. Give them time