The jury has been out on whether the iPhone 13 will see the return of Touch ID, but a new leak suggests it's not looking good.
The iPhone 12 is a solid flagship from Apple, but ever since since the iPhone X, which dropped Touch ID in favor of Face ID, we've not seen a fingerprint scanner on an iPhone. A vocal group of users want to see the fingerprint scanner come back, finding it frustrating at the best of times, but now that masks are being more widely adopted, it's likely a bigger inconvenience than ever.
While one insider has said the chances of it coming back are "50/50", the latest rumor has knocked that down to zero.
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First prototype of the 13 is basically a 12 with extra stepsI'll have more for you soon.Here's a teaser: No underscreen Touch ID as of nowFirst prototype of the 13 is basically a 12 with extra stepsI'll have more for you soon.Here's a teaser: No underscreen Touch ID as of nowNovember 1, 2020November 1, 2020
Twitter leaker Jiorīku has weighed in to share details they've gleaned about the iPhone 13, which includes the news that the under-display Touch ID won't be making it into the device. Of course, they do highlight that the model they've seen (or heard about) is a prototype, and isn't necessarily indicative of the final product.
Further to Apple insider Jon Prosser's 50/50 stance, fellow leaker L0vetodream piped up last month to say that Apple is working on under-display Touch ID for an upcoming iPhone.
It seems that the tech wasn't ready to debut in the iPhone 12, but could still be on the cards for the iPhone 13, and the prototype is simply an early one which doesn't include it.
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Jiorīku also added that there's at least one iPhone 13 model that has scrapped the charging port, meaning Apple could be considering a wireless charging standard.
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It already ditched its in-box chargers and earphones for the iPhone 12, citing environmental motivations, with the fact that there are so many chargers already in circulation playing a large part in that.
While nothing is set in stone right now, shipping the iPhone 13 with Face ID alone in the current climate seems like a dubious decision. It's still far too early to jump to conclusions though, so sit tight, and we'll keep you updated with all of the latest leaks and rumors as they crop up.
Source: Tom's Guide
Shabana worked at T3.com as News Editor covering tech and gaming, and has been writing about video games for almost a decade (and playing them since forever). She's had bylines at major gaming sites during her freelance career before settling down here at T3, and has podcasts, streaming, and video content under her belt to boot. Outside of work, she also plays video games and should really think about expanding her hobbies. If you have any tech or gaming tips, shoot over an email or DM her on social media.