KGI Securities analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, has released another research report detailing features he predicts may surface in Apple’s upcoming iPhone 8, reports MacRumors.
Kuo believes Apple’s tenth anniversary iPhone will employ a flexible OLED panel with reinforced structural integrity under a new film sensor (instead of the current FPCB sensor), to improve Touch ID with the new design. This means an optical Touch ID solution replacing the current capacitive-based implementation, allowing for a display surface that’s smooth throughout.
Also, adding fuel to the fire of facial recognition, Kuo says Apple is “leaning toward” the technology, based on bio-recognition patents the company has applied for, but challenges remain:
Judging by the bio-recognition patents that Apple has applied for, we believe it is leaning toward facial recognition technology rather than iris recognition. However, we note that the technical challenges of facial recognition include: (1) algorithms; (2) hardware design; and (3) the build-out of a database for verification and authentication, which could be time consuming. As such, before Apple can fully replace the fingerprint system with facial recognition, a combination of the two steps of bio-recognition could be a valid solution for enhancing transactions security.
The analyst believes Apple’s upcoming biometric identification systems for smartphones could bring forth a “paradigm shift”, if and when technological hurdles can be overcome.
The next iPhone is expected to launch in the latter half of 2017, and may include an edge-to-edge wraparound display, embedded Home button and more. Earlier rumours this week suggested facial/gesture recognition may emerge, along with wireless charging.
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Hmmm… if this ends up being true, over are the days of unlocking my phone while it’s laying down with my index finger. It wouldn’t be at an angle to see my face.
The idea is cool, I wonder if they’ll have the same low-light issues Android phones have with similar facial unlocked methods.
Didn’t they also have the problem that you could unlock the phones with a photo of the person?
Yes they did, I remember doing that too lol.
Wont happen. Add it in, maybe but not ‘replace’. TouchID is crucial to ApplePay.
I think you’re 100% correct there.
Apple wouldn’t compromise security like that so I doubt this would happen. Perhaps they can use facial recognition for something, such as when to turn the display on after you pick up the phone ( I donno, I’m just throwing stuff out there). But I don’t think they’ll get rid of something as successful as TouchID.
I’d say they’d be more likely to figure out a way to make the whole screen a ID sensor.
Not a good idea. If the cops arrest you, all they have to do to unlock your phone is to point it in your face.