Mike Wuerthele
A list of 10 features that the "iPhone 8" will have — or lack — has been published by noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who believes Apple will not embed a Touch ID sensor under the screen.
The list was provided to Street Insider by Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with KGI Securities. The vast majority of the claims about the "iPhone 8" have already been reported by AppleInsider, but the lack of an under-screen Touch ID sensor stands out as contrary to many recent rumors about the device.
According to the report, the scan-through ability of the under-display fingerprint solution has "technical challenges." Additionally, the "overlayered panel module" has "weakened scan-through performance" as a result.
Other interpretations of the report claim that the analyst believes that there won't be a Touch ID sensor at all. However, the source does not say that, and only claims that the "virtual home button" in the screen won't support the technology.
But recent rumors from other sources including Apple's chip partner TSMC still suggest that the Touch ID sensor will be embedded in the screen.
The remainder of the report reiterated previous information previously promulgated by KGI Securities, like the OLED full-screen design with "notch," 3D sensing for facial recognition, fast charging through USB-C power delivery through the Lightning cable similar to that in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, as well as a full availability of the "iPhone 8" later than that of the "iPhone 7s" and "iPhone 7s Plus."
Kuo has a decent track record predicting Apple's future moves and hardware, but missed the iMac updates launched at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
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41 Comments
Well, clearly the first mockup included in the article doesn't picture the right thing. It doesn't show a home button on the screen. The second shows a gray dot, will that be it?
Dare I say it, but with Samsung's screen expertise one would assume they would be first to market with this this tech. From the finger print demo in Qualcomms solution, the sensor was slow to operate.
Isn't Qualcomm already offering the ultrasound under-display fingerprint reader tech for sale, as AI reported? So if Apple cannot manage on their own, they can always just buy it from Qualcomm, at a hefty price undoubtedly and unfortunately. But better than putting the reader on the back...
Demonstrating this capability is stupidly different than putting that functionality in 60 million devices and having it work consistently without fail. After the Samsung melt down, Apple is not likely to want to throw this out there and hope it works.