Hints of Touch ID Support for iPad Found in iOS 7.1 Code

Since the release of the iPhone 5s last September, most observers have expected that the Touch ID fingerprint feature will be making its way into the iPad lineup as Apple is able ramp up production on the sensors, so it is no surprise that KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this month predicted that both the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini will be gaining the feature later this year.

Actual evidence of iPad Touch ID support has now been discovered by French iOS developer Pierre Blazquez, as noted by iDownloadBlog. The evidence comes in the form of a BiometricKit bundle in iOS that serves as the framework for the Touch ID functionality, with the bundle being listed as compatible with both iPhone/iPod and iPad families.

touch_id_ipad_biometrickit
Apple classifies its iOS devices into three families, with iPhone/iPod receiving a "1" designation, iPad receiving a "2" designation, and Apple TV classified as "3". BiometricKit is currently showing compatibility with both 1 and 2 families, although it is not exactly clear when iPad was added to the list.

Apple is likely to stick to its typical yearly upgrade cycle for this iPad generation, meaning that new iPads should appear in the latter part of this year. Kuo predicts that the new iPads will appear in late Q3 around the same time as new iPhones and perhaps Apple's much-rumored iWatch.

Update 9:07 AM: As noted by Benjamin Mayo, the reference has been around for "several iOS updates", but it still indicates that iPad support is likely in the works.

Related Roundups: iPad mini, iPad
Related Forum: iPad

Top Rated Comments

dauby88 Avatar
130 months ago
No surprise here. Now lets hope they incorporate multiple user accounts into iOS 8. Touch ID is a great gateway to separate user logins.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
taptic Avatar
130 months ago
Mindblower!

I thought they were just going to keep it for the iPhone forever like they did with Siri...
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xmichaelp Avatar
130 months ago
So the Air 2 is going to have a laminated screen and Touch ID? Sounds good enough to wait for. Really hope they go 2 GBs of RAM in the next gen of iDevices though.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
street.cory Avatar
130 months ago
This is one of the things I've been waiting for before I upgrade my iPad.

An obvious and welcome addition indeed!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wizard Avatar
130 months ago
What incredible nonsense.

The IPad is getting stale. Apple needs to step up and set this thing apart from all other tablets.
That is baloney right from the start.

They have that 64 bit processor that they need to put to work.
They already do put it to work! IOS 7 was significantly updated to leverage the 64 nature of the A7 processor.

I have a IPad 2 that works just as well as the new ones.
Obviously you haven't picked a recent iPad, ipad 2 isn't even close to the new hardware.

Give me a reason to upgrade.

If iPad 2 works for you, you have no reason to even think about an upgrade.

----------

Am I the only one who still haven't found an use for the iPad ?

In my case I use the thing more and more everyday. It just works well for me.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
whooleytoo Avatar
130 months ago
The IPad is getting stale. Apple needs to step up and set this thing apart from all other tablets.

They have that 64 bit processor that they need to put to work.

I have a IPad 2 that works just as well as the new ones.

Give me a reason to upgrade.

A few months back I upgraded from an iPad 2 to an iPad Air, and the difference in network/download/browsing speed is huge, the Air has MIMO while the 2 doesn't. That alone made it worthwhile for me, not to mention the A7 is so much faster, and the iPad itself smaller & lighter without compromising the screen. And obviously, the iPad 2 isn't Retina either.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...