iPhone 13 could fix the worst iPhone 12 flaw

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TouchID could be slated to return next year, though not necessarily on a high-end iPhone

iPhone 12 Pro Max review notch
(Image credit: Future)

When the iPhone 13 arrives next year, a familiar feature could return with it. That would be Touch ID, the fingerprint-powered unlocking capability that disappeared from flagship phones with the introduction of the iPhone X.

Since the iPhone X, Apple has favored full screen displays on the iPhone, leaving no room for the home button and the Touch ID sensor that lived beneath it. But now, one prominent analyst believes the sensor will make a return with at least one of Apple’s 2021 phones.

That’s analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, forecasting in a research note printed at  MacRumors that Apple is hard at work developing an iPhone featuring integrated Touch ID for a potential 2021 release. This likely would be for a non-premium model, however, and not one of Apple’s flagship phones.

Kuo’s report also suggests the Touch ID sensor would be integrated into the new iPhone’s power button. Apple pulled off a similar feat with the fourth-generation iPad Air released in September. It’s possible that the phone in question is an upgraded version of the iPhone SE, though it’s not clear if a sequel to that model is coming next year. 

Kuo also predicts that there may be another iPhone that integrates both Face ID technology as well as a fingerprint scanner that would be featured under the phone's display as a higher-end device in 2021. These features are rumored to appear alongside a world of additional niceties, such as the new A15 Bionic chip, a ProMotion display that could support 120Hz, and as always, better cameras.

MacRumors adds that if the new iPhone 13 does end up bringing back Touch ID, the phone would also need a different kind of display to support it, as reports indicate that it would use a low-power LTPO technology to deliver a 120HZ refresh rate.

Of course, Apple has yet to offer any comment on any of these rumors, though a survey recently sent out to Apple customers did include a question about TouchID. There's also still quite a long way to go before we hear anything about the iPhone 13, which would debut next fall. Should Touch ID be poised for a return, however, it's surely going to make several users happy.

Brittany Vincent
Brittany Vincent

Brittany Vincent has been covering video games and tech for over 13 years for publications including Tom's Guide, MTV, Rolling Stone, CNN, Popular Science, Playboy, IGN, GamesRadar, Polygon, Kotaku, Maxim, and more. She's also appeared as a panelist at video game conventions like PAX East and PAX West and has coordinated social media for companies like CNET. When she's not writing or gaming, she's looking for the next great visual novel in the vein of Saya no Uta. You can follow her on Twitter @MolotovCupcake.