Silver Ring Around ‘iPhone 5S’ Home Button May Be Necessary for the Fingerprint Reader

Apple has confirmed that they will hold a media event on September 10. Apple is expected to use this event to announce the next-generation iPhone and iOS 7.

During the last several weeks many rumours have surfaced speculating that the new ‘iPhone 5S’ will have a fingerprint reader embedded within the home button. A new rumour has come up recently saying that the ‘iPhone 5S’ home button will have a ‘silver ring’ around it. High quality images posted shows the ‘silver ring‘ around the home button on the ‘iPhone 5S’ box.

Clayton Morris of Fox News first mentioned the supposed shiny home button flourish last month on an episode of This Week in Tech, better known as TWiT. He says that the ‘silver ring’ around the home button is more than just for aesthetic purposes.

Patent filings revealed by AppleInsider show that the ‘silver ring’ may be necessary for the fingerprint reader to function.

Typical methods used to accomplish biometric fingerprint readings include, a swiping motion made famous in movies, thermal, pressure, optical and capacitive measurements, among many others. In 2012, Apple purchased a security company called AuthenTec for $356 million and they are known for using a few different capture methods on past fingerprint readers.

AuthenTec has used fingerprint readers in phones before, one of note is the Toshiba REGZA T-01D. Notice in the image below, the fingerprint reader has a ‘silver ring’ around it which is the same as the purported ‘silver ring’ Apple is said to use around the home button of the ‘iPhone 5S’.

The fingerprint reader would give Apple a huge advantage, especially in the area of security. Imagine being able to unlock your iPhone using your own fingerprint, or being able to verify your identity when making mobile payments or other transactions.

It is still unclear if we will even see a fingerprint reader in the next iPhone but all will be revealed on September 10.

[via AppleInsider]