The rumours that Apple is considering using an in-screen fingerprint sensor isn't new. And now, we hear whispers once again. This time The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern reports that the next-generation of iPhones (possibly named the iPhone 13) will get an in-display Touch ID option.
This feature will definitely come in handy, seeing as using Face ID in public is difficult these days because we need to wear face masks.
Stern cites a former Apple employee, saying that the company is working with optical sensors for in-screen fingerprint reading, which "can be more reliable" than an ultrasonic solution used by companies like Samsung.
What Apple might employ could be an optical-capacitive hybrid, which offers better security than optical sensors that light up the screen's part where the thumb is to create an image of your finger.
That optical sensor might be easier to fool since it uses a 2D image. But the hybrid option might combine the speed of the optical sensor and the security of capacitive sensors, which Apple has used in its Touch ID home buttons before.
Capacitive sensors use a series of tiny capacitors to create a fingerprint data map that would be tough to trick.
As for Samsung's ultrasonic option, this uses small sound waves to create a 3D map of the fingerprint. This is a more secure option, and it works better when the fingers are wet. But it is more expensive.
According to Stern's source, whichever option Apple decides to employ will need to meet the Touch ID's security standards, or else it'll be a downgrade.
Source: MacRumors