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Apple granted a third patent for embedded Touch ID sensor in the display

By Cookie Monster - on 19 May 2016, 8:00am

Apple granted a third patent for embedded Touch ID sensor in the display

 Image source: Patently Apple

More evidence has surfaced supporting the rumor that Apple may one day remove the physical Touch ID button on the iPhone and iPad. 

According to Patently Apple, Apple filed for a patent in March 2015 which describes three technologies - optical, capacitive and ultrasonic - that can be used by fingerprint sensors. The patent singles out ultrasound imaging as the most accurate yet least common fingerprint scanning technology today and can allow the fingerprint scanner to be embedded into the display.

This isn't the first time that Apple is said to be exploring a virtual home button with fingerprint scanning technology. In June 2015, sources in Taiwan's IC design industry claimed that Apple was working on touch and display driver integration (TDDI) single-chip solutions to integrate fingerprint sensors with the virtual home button which will result in "ultra-thin and ultra-narrow displays" for future iPhones.

Late last year, G for Games reported that Apple was testing 5 different iPhone 7 configurations with each model having a different set of features. One of the configurations reportedly had embedded fingerprint recognition technology in the display. Just a few weeks ago, Apple was rumored to be replacing the current hardware home button with a digital touch-sensitive button. However, leaked blueprints suggest that the physical home button is likely to stay for the iPhone 7.

LG recently announced a new fingerprint sensor that can be placed within a 0.01-inches (0.3mm) space on the underside of the cover glass display. Several handset makers are currently in talks with the Korean company to deploy these new sensors in commercial products later this year. Qualcomm also has a 3D fingerprint scanner technology, Sense ID which uses ultrasonic sound waves to read your fingerprint.

Source: Patently Apple via 9to5Mac

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