iPhone 13 really should bring back Touch ID but it seems it won’t

Boooo! Booooooo! Boooooooooo! It seems likely that the feature I want most for the iPhone 13 isn’t going to make it: while Apple is indeed working on a Touch ID sensor that’ll live behind the iPhone’s screen (as I hoped for here), according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman it’s not going to be ready in time for the iPhone 13. I was pretty pessimistic about its chances, but it’s still disappointing. 

First-world problems I know, but I really miss Touch ID on my face-scanning iPhone 12.

For many people, Face ID was just fine until COVID came along: suddenly we were masking and it turned out that we simply weren’t showing enough face for our phones. That’s going to be an issue for some time to come, and while Pay With Passcode is fine (if slower) in Apple Pay and Apple Wallet my bank apps want to see my whole face before they’ll let me see how broke I am. 

But it’s not just COVID. There are times when Touch ID is just better.

• No, iPhone 13 won't be a folding phone

Faces are ace but fingers are better

I think Face ID is brilliant from a technological point of view, and in ideal, non-masked conditions it’s faster – or at least, it is when compared to Apple sticking the Touch ID sensor somewhere like in the thin sleep-wake button of my iPad Air (2020). There it’s not so much Touch ID as Touch Aaaagh Wrong Corner Flip iPad Touch Touch Touch For God’s Sake Touch Touch Touch Swear Swear Touch Sod It Enter Passcode ID.

But Touch ID has its own strengths. It’s more subtle than Face ID, because you don’t need to have your phone so close to your head. You can unlock your phone when it’s on your desk, or in the car: if you’ve ever tried unlocking your phone with Face ID when it’s stuck to your windscreen because the phone isn’t showing Maps you’ll know what a futile endeavour that is; it’s infuriating when parked and don’t even think about it when you’re driving. 

So I’m glad Touch ID is said to be on its way back, even if it’s going to take a bit longer than I’d hope. And realistically it’s not going to put me off the iPhone 13: there are plenty of other reasons why the iPhone 13 is still going to be a great upgrade. But still – it really would've been nice if Apple could have squeezed this upgrade earlier.