Glorious Touch ID!
I’ve always been disappointed that Apple got rid of Touch ID in the iPhone. I’m glad I still have it on my Mac as well as my iPad mini and iPad Air, but it doesn’t exist on the iPad Pro or any new iPhone. It’s actually one of the reasons I chose the iPad Air over the iPad Pro. Touch ID doesn’t require you take off face coverings, it doesn’t require your attention, it works just as well for those with vision impairments as those with good vision, it works sitting on your desk, and it works even if you’re wearing IR blocking glasses for privacy protection. Touch ID is fantastic. Why’d Apple get rid of it?
The iPhone Ultra is a passport-style folding phone rumored to come out this fall. It might be Apple’s most interesting new iPhone since the iPhone 12 mini. It should feature a small outer display, fold out screen, and, according to leakers, will bring back a lost but not forgotten feature: Touch ID.
Maybe the iPhone Ultra will be worth it after all.
Why Touch ID?
Think about how Face ID would have to work on a phone like the iPhone Ultra. You’d need the cutout on the already smaller outer display, then potentially another one on the inner display. Face ID takes up space, and the iPhone Ultra may be even thinner than the iPhone Air. It just may not have the space for one Face ID module, let alone two. Not without making the first Face ID bump, and given the ongoing disappointment in the ever-growing camera bumps on every smartphone, that won’t be popular.
Instead of multiple Face ID modules or making the iPhone Ultra thicker than it needs to be, Apple will reportedly put the Touch ID sensor in the lock button, much like the iPad mini and iPad Air’s use of Touch ID. A slim button that’s more than just a button. It’s an elegant solution, and a lot better than any of Apple’s other options.
I love having Touch ID on my iPads instead of needing to hunch over them to activate it. Having another smartphone with it may not be the drawback it seems. While I’d prefer both options on any device, it’ll be nice to see Touch ID making a comeback, one way or another.
The iPhone Ultra is all but certain. Hopefully Touch ID returns to the iPhone with it.