Apple abandoned the fingerprint reader, officially known as Touch ID, with the debut of the iPhone X, with the company instead betting all-in on facial recognition, or Face ID, as the exclusive authentication system.
Meanwhile, Samsung, which continues to be Apple’s number one rival, continued to invest aggressively in fingerprint sensors, so this year’s Galaxy S10 introduced a new system that has the reader embedded into the glass.
Apple, however, could take both its users and its competitors by surprise with the 2020 iPhone when the company could bring back Touch ID with a completely innovative approach.
This device, according to Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis (via
MR), could come with a full-screen fingerprint sensor, which means that you can touch the display anywhere you want to unlock the device. On the Galaxy S10, users must put the finger in a certain place of the screen to unlock it.
Upgraded iPhone XR coming this year
The analyst says that while the 2019 iPhone will introduce rather subtle changes versus the current generation, the 2020 models would come with major changes. For example, Apple will introduce a 5G model, 3D sensing for the rear camera, and the said full-screen Touch ID that would use acoustic fingerprint technology.
The 2020 iPhone lineup could also include a second-generation iPhone SE, but its launch could take place in the spring, rather than in the fall when new iPhones are typically unveiled.
As for this year’s iPhone lineup, the iPhone XR is likely to get the biggest upgrades, as the device would feature 4GB RAM instead of 3GB on the current model. A dual-camera configuration is also expected on the back.
All 2019 iPhones could come without 3D Touch, as Apple could remove this component for more space under the hood, presumably increasing the focus on an alternative based on Haptic Touch.
