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Gurman: Apple tested iPhone 13 with Touch ID, but it’s unlikely to launch this year

In today’s Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman doubles down the fact that Apple won’t add in-screen Touch ID to the rumored iPhone 13 as the company has a “long-term goal” to include the Face ID sensor inside the display.

Gurman writes:

“While Apple had tested in-screen Touch ID for the next flagship iPhones, it won’t make the cut this year. I believe Apple is all-in on Face ID for its higher-end iPhones and its long-term goal is to implement Face ID in the display itself.”

With that, although almost every year rumors claim that Apple will bring in-screen Touch ID to its flagship phones, it won’t happen at least in 2021. According to Gurman, the company plans to do something similar as Samsung did with the Galaxy Z Fold3 in-screen camera sensor.

Bloomberg gives two possible ways Apple could go about Face ID and Touch ID in the future, thinking about the entry-level and high-end iPhone strategy:

  • The pricier models could have in-screen Face ID, while the low-end have Face ID in the notch;
  • The high-end phones still get in-screen Face ID, while the low-end get in-screen Touch ID.

This means: Face ID is Apple’s long-term commitment while the company could also add in-screen Touch ID for its low-end iPhones.

For the iPhone 13, there’s already a lot we know so far. Latest rumors say Apple will feature a smaller notch, 120Hz refresh rate display, up to 1TB of storage in the Pro models, a faster A15 chip, as well as new camera sensors.

Apple is likely to introduce four new iPhones in less than a month from now. Also, this year will be the last with a mini model, as the smaller iPhone didn’t sell as much as the company expected. For the 2022 iPhones, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says the company could introduce an in-screen Touch ID.

Read our roundup about the iPhone 13 here.

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