AppleInsider Staff
Apple may be planning an expansion of its Touch ID fingerprint authentication technology to its portable computers and peripherals in advance of a larger Apple Pay rollout, according to a Tuesday report out of Taiwan.
The forthcoming 12-inch MacBook Air — which is widely believed to include a high-resolution Retina display and vastly-reduced I/O — could also sport a Touch ID sensor positioned above its trackpad, Taiwanese Apple blog AppleCorner believes, citing supply chain sources. In addition, the Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad may be updated to include the biometric functionality.
That could be a prelude to making Apple Pay available for payments on the web, the blog said. Currently, Apple Pay can only be used for in-store transactions via NFC or as part of the checkout process for iOS apps.
Such an expansion would put Apple Pay in direct competition with web checkout providers like PayPal and Amazon Payments, while opening a major new market. PayPal, currently an eBay subsidiary, is preparing to separate from the online auction giant in part to streamline operations as it gears up to battle with Apple and Google in the digital wallet space.
While the veracity of these rumors is impossible to determine, AppleCorner does have a relatively good track record when it comes to peeking into Apple's Asian supply chain. Last year, the blog published parts that it claimed were for the then-unannounced iPad Air 2, which later turned out to be genuine.
Charles Martin
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57 Comments
Would've thought the power button would be the better place to put it.
What I really want to know is if the iCar will have touch ID.
They should really build this into the keyboard as well. That way it is easy access to this function when you have a wireless keyboard and iMac, Apple TV, or Mini...also would be easier for those who have wireless keyboard and iPad set ups as well.
[quote name="sog35" url="/t/184821/rumor-apple-to-add-touch-id-to-retina-macbook-air-as-well-as-future-magic-mouse-and-magic-trackpad#post_2677312"]awesome. hate typing passwords[/quote] Current law would disfavor the use of Touch ID, unless also used in combination with a password, for any who are seriously concerned about data protection. Touch ID is convenient for Apple Pay, however.
Boom! There it is. That will be an awesome retrofit of all Macs with the Magic mouse and TrackPad.