Apple may have replaced Touch ID with Face ID on many of its flagship devices, but there are still plenty out there that come with a fingerprint sensor onboard as the primary way to unlock them – and this may return in the late 2019 iPhones, if rumours are correct. In this article we outline the Apple products with Touch ID and explain how the different versions affect performance.
What is Touch ID?
This technology first featured on the iPhone 5s, which was introduced back in 2013. The classic Home button was replaced with one that incorporates a fingerprint sensor in the top surface, enabling users to unlock the device simply by holding their thumb or finger on the panel.
The surface is made of sapphire crystal, making it incredibly resistant to scratches that could interfere with the fingerprint reader, and the prints that users scan into the iPhone are stored in what Apple calls a secure enclave that’s built into the device’s processor. This means that Apple doesn’t have access to your fingerprints at any point, as all the security is conducted entirely on the device.
The introduction of Touch ID negated the need for entering passcodes every time you wanted to access your iPhone, and also allowed App Store purchases to be confirmed via your finger rather than a password. With the introduction of Apple Pay alongside the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in 2016, Touch ID became the main way to authenticate payments. The only outlier was the iPhone 5s, which did have Touch ID but not the NFC capabilities required for Apple Pay.
The feature transitioned to Apple’s tablets in 2014 when the iPad mini 3 was released. It then appeared on every new iPhone and iPad model until 2017 when the iPhone X replaced it with Face ID and the iPad Pro line-up did likewise the following year. To see how the two technologies compare, read Face ID vs Touch ID.
Apple has also brought the Touch ID technology to the Mac, with the 2016 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar allowing users to unlock the device and confirm Apple Pay transactions by placing their finger on the button on the far-right end of the Touch Bar.
There have been two generations of the Touch ID technology, with the second being introduced with the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in 2015 and boasting speeds up to twice as fast as that of its predecessor.
Which models have Touch ID?
Here are the devices that include Touch ID as well as the version they have installed.
iPhone
Touch ID Generation 1:
- iPhone 5s
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
- iPhone SE
Touch ID Generation 2:
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
iPad
Touch ID Generation 1:
- iPad mini 3
- iPad (2017)
- iPad (2018)
- iPad (2019)
Touch ID Generation 2:
- iPad Pro 12.9in (2015)
- iPad Pro 9.7in (2016)
- iPad Pro 12.9in (2017)
- iPad Pro 10.5in (2017)
- iPad Air 2
- iPad Air (2019)
- iPad Mini 4
- iPad Mini (2019)
Mac
- All MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models
- MacBook Air (2018) and later
For more details on how Apple’s fingerprint technology works, read How to use Touch ID finger scanning.
Via MACWORLD