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Supposed iPhone 5S User Guide brands fingerprint sensor as ‘Touch ID’

According to Nowhereelse.fr,  this is a photo of the iPhone 5S user guide. The pamphlet shows an iPhone with a gray ring around the round home button, which matches previous descriptions of the iPhone 5S’ fingerprint sensor. The guide refers to this button as a “Home Button/Touch ID sensor”. This suggests that Apple will brand the 5S’ fingerprint sensor clearly as a means of identification.

This corroborates with 9to5Mac’s reporting. We have said on multiple occasions that the fingerprint sensor will likely only be used as a means of unlock. In our roundup, we describe how the system will work:

To unlock the iPhone with the fingerprint reader, an iPhone 5S user simply clicks and holds their finger/thumb down on the sensor for a few seconds. It is unlikely that the sensor login and passcode could be used in tandem. There will be a preference in the iPhone’s Settings app to disable the sensor.

This description of the process pairs nicely with the branding ‘Touch ID’, as it literally describes what happens; unlocking will be activated by a touch-and-hold of your finger on the Home Button.

It should also be noted that this guide matches the leaked user guides for the iPhone 5C, with the same color-matched wallpaper design.

Apple will formally announce the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C at its September event, scheduled for 10 AM PST. Banners at Apple’s Town Hall, the venue for the announcements, went up yesterday.

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Comments

  1. Craig Thomas (@_P_C_T_) - 11 years ago

    Seems a bit of a waste if all it does is unlock the phone. I was hoping it would authorise transactions on the app store/iTunes at the very least. Come on Apple, give me a good reason to upgrade my iPhone 5.

  2. Matthew Sims - 11 years ago

    I “get” the sensor and reasons why but what I don’t understand is why no little [ ] icon on the button anymore. I don’t see how this could affect the scanning ability and makes the phone look a bit odd.

    • thebums66 - 11 years ago

      I think the ring around the home button looks like the ring when Siri is “thinking” though that is blue. Maybe it’ll turn blue… In a few hours we’ll all find out.

  3. standardpull - 11 years ago

    That’s the evidence we need! Thanks Benjamin and 9to5 for bringing us the best iPhone and Mac reporting out there!!!

  4. jchagerty - 11 years ago

    Touch ID does not imply its only for unlocking the phone, it could also be for ID’ing the user to make a payment. We’ll find out today if payment will be a function at launch, but this doesn’t backup your claim or the news from other sites that you’ve reposted and are calling “9to5mac’s reporting.”

    • stuffradio (@stuffradio) - 11 years ago

      My guess is there would be some sort of API for developers to use to let people use TouchID to authenticate their account for apps. I bet developers would only get some long string that is used to authenticate instead of a picture of their finger print.

  5. I hope the passcode and sensor can be used in tandem b/c what if the scanner malfunctions or if I want someone else to answer my phone b/c my hands are full? I read the metal ring is capacitive so once your just touch it, it starts the scanner. If that’s the case, you should be able to physically press the home button to access the passcode screen. I guess we’ll know for sure in a few hours!

  6. Duston Foster - 11 years ago

    4.5 Hours to go!

  7. MaRico NoHands Spikes - 11 years ago

    Why can’t we just wait til the show starts in a few hours to find out what’s going on, or we just playing the guessing game til it starts, smdh

  8. hisdudenessman - 11 years ago

    Don’t forget possible integration with iCloud Keychain. I can think of few more secure passwords than one’s finger print, man.

  9. theber11 - 11 years ago

    when does iOS 7 come out?

  10. Besides avoiding the lost and / or stolen, you can design applications for other fields that can generate value-added products and the acquisition of monetary exchange, only with fingerprint identification to avoid having to go to cash or not possess money at the time of acquisition (http://www.webkreativo.com/diseno-web-corporativo-bogota.html ).

Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.