Apple iPhone 5S: What will the fingerprint reader do?

The day has finally arrived when all the Apple-fans are on the edge of their seats; waiting anxiously for 6pm BST when the event expected to reveal the next-gen iPhone kicks off in Berlin and California.
Rumours of colour, camera and connectivity have all been flying around, but it is the possibility of a fingerprint reader that's really got people talking.
Will the iPhone 5S have a fingerprint reader?
We won't know for sure until the covers are thrown off the handset, but the numerous rumours would suggest there is a good chance of a fingerprint sensor appearing.
The Wall Street Journal reported: "People familiar with the matter said last week that Apple will include a fingerprint scanner on the more expensive of two iPhones it is expected to unveil."
Tech website nowhereelse.fr, has not only published an alleged iPhone 5S component, but also an image showing a fingerprint reader dubbed "Touch ID Sensor". The image shows the fingerprint reader replacing the home button and its rectangle marking.
It's worth noting this site was the same site to publish an image of the Lighting connector ahead of its announcement last year, so hopes are high it might be right for the second year running.
A fingerprint reader would go against the Apple tradition, as the company has focused on internal upgrades rather than external with the "S" devices in the past, but that's not to say it won't happen.
What would a fingerprint reader mean?
Going with the hypothesis that a fingerprint reader will be gracing us with its presence on the next iPhone, its main benefit would be better security.
Except for it adding a James Bond-style feature to the iPhone, fingerprints are unique to each individual meaning it would make getting into your phone very difficult if it was stolen, unless they had a Q equivalent on their team.
Should you have friends that take great delight in updating your social media networks when you have left your phone lying around, it will also mean they will have a much tougher job on their hands.
Making payments using business apps would also be more secure, unless of course you willingly hand over your unlocked phone to any old Tom, Dick or Harry.
According to Apple Patents, Apple has filed for a fingerprint sensor with advanced integrated NFC circuitry, which it claims has been invented for the iPhone home button.
The website suggests the fingerprint reader will then have two modes of operation, sensor mode to gather fingerprint data or other sensor data and NFC mode to "transmit and receive capacitively coupled or inductively coupled near field communications signals".
If this is true, it would again add to the security of making payments, as well as enable you to connect to speakers and other NFC-enabled devices, which would also be a new advancement for the iPhone.
Finally, perhaps on the more obvious side, the fingerprint reader will mean you'll always be able to unlock your phone. Your fingerprint will always be with you (you'd hope), so it would mean no more forgetting codes or losing bits of paper with the four digits scrawled on.
For now, it's just a waiting game. Sit tight with everything firmly crossed for that fingerprint reader, and count down those hours until all will hopefully be revealed.

Comments