The rumours that the upcoming iPhone 5S will use a fingerprint scanner for an additional layer of security are getting stronger. A news report by The China Times (spotted by Tech Radar) says that Apple has contracted Taiwanese firm Chipbond to develop a touch display, placed next to the homescreen button, that will function as a biometric scanner. The rumour is given a sheen of authenticity by the fact that Apple was granted a patent last year for the implementation of a fingerprint scanner on the iPhone. Apple also bought AuthenTec, a company that focused on biometric technology last year and is reportedly in contact with Microlatch, a biosecurity firm.
The decision to incorporate fingerprint scanning technology in the upcoming iPhone isn’t merely to give users a more secure way to unlock the phone. It is, in fact, supposed to be closely linked to another rumoured feature of the iPhone 5S: NFC support. With an in-built NFC chip, iPhone users will be able to make purchases by simply passing their phone over scanners installed in stores. By adding a fingerprint scanner, Apple apparently wants to make sure that transactions are further verified with the help of the user’s biometric information.
NFC, as a feature, is nothing new for mobile phones. Phones like the BlackBerry Z10, the Sony Xperia Z and the Samsung Galaxy S III already have NFC chips. While there are many fingerprint scanning apps available for download, hardware implementation of the technology is less common on mobile phones. However, the iPhone 5S won’t be the first device to boast of the technology; a recent mainstream smartphone that has the same technology is the Motorola Atrix 4G.
The iPhone 5S rumour-mill is just getting warmed up. Past rumours have claimed that the Apple smartphone will have a smart flash (that lets you focus the camera flash on an area of your choice) and/or a (shudder) ‘smart’ stylus, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Note’s S-Pen.
Source: Tech Radar