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Looking back at the unlocking methods of iPhones in the past, from digital unlocking of the first generation iPhone, to fingerprint unlocking of iPhone 5s, to Face ID unlocking of iPhone X, the unlocking methods can be said to be getting more and more advanced. The more convenient it is.
However, in the past two years, due to the epidemic, everyone has to wear masks when going out. This has also greatly reduced the unlocking experience of Face ID, and it is not even as convenient as the previous fingerprint unlocking. Therefore, many users are also looking forward to when Apple will return fingerprint unlocking on the iPhone.
News about the iPhone using under-screen fingerprints has been circulating for many years, and Apple has also applied for more related patents about under-screen fingerprints. So will this year’s iPhone 13 add under-screen fingerprint unlocking?
Today, Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman emphasized that Apple will not use under-screen fingerprint unlocking in this year’s iPhone 13 series because Apple now has a new goal: integrating the Face ID sensor into the screen below.
Mark Gurman said that although Apple has tested under-screen fingerprint recognition on this year’s new iPhone, it will not actually join it. Apple will continue to use face recognition to unlock, and Apple’s long-term goal is to implement under-screen fingerprint recognition. Face recognition.
In addition, Mark Gurman also mentioned that Apple is planning to make a sensor similar to the under-screen camera of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3. And in the future, new iPhones may use face recognition and fingerprint recognition. The relatively affordable iPhones use under-screen fingerprint unlocking, while the high-end flagship models of the Pro series are equipped with under-screen face recognition unlocking.
Compared to the Face ID module, using under-screen fingerprint unlocking can not only reduce iPhone manufacturing costs, but also further increase the iPhone’s screen-to-body ratio. Why doesn’t Apple use it?
This is because according to Apple's practice, newly added functions on the iPhone must undergo strict and rigorous testing. Not only must the user experience be perfect, but technical safety must also be guaranteed. This is fundamentally different from some domestic manufacturers that use a certain black technology as a selling point.
Apple believes that current face recognition is much safer and more convenient than fingerprint recognition, while under-screen fingerprint technology is currently not perfect and relatively unsafe. Therefore, Apple should not consider an under-screen fingerprint solution in the short term unless there is a major breakthrough in under-screen fingerprint technology.
Although the current iPhone flagship models have canceled fingerprint unlocking, this does not mean that Apple has given up on this unlocking method, but Apple has not included it in the mainstream unlocking method. For example, Apple integrated fingerprint unlocking into the lock screen key on last year's iPad Air4.
In addition, at the end of June, Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple may add under-screen fingerprint technology to the new iPhone launched in 2022, and that this technology will be developed by Apple itself.
At present, the fight against the epidemic is gradually becoming the norm, and we are expected to wear masks for a long time. For Apple, which focuses on user experience, since fingerprint unlocking is more convenient, it is not impossible to return to fingerprint unlocking on the iPhone.