iOS 7 Beta 4 Code Points to Home Button Fingerprint Sensor for iPhone 5S

Following its 2012 acquisition of mobile security firm AuthenTec, which specialized in fingerprint sensors, Apple has been rumored to be looking to incorporate its technology into its future products. Rumors have indicated that such a sensor could be a differentiating feature for Apple's upcoming iPhone 5S, although there has so far been little in the way of solid evidence that such a feature is in the works.

But as noted by Hamza Sood, Apple's developer release of iOS 7 beta 4 today has brought a significant clue that Apple is indeed planning to bring the technology to the iPhone later this year.

ios_7_fingerprint_bundle
The evidence arrives in the form of a new code bundle in the Accessibility portion of iOS 7. The bundle, named BiometricKitUI, contains text strings related to a tutorial on how to use a fingerprint sensor on an iPhone. The relevant strings include:

- Photo of a person holding an iPhone with their left hand while touching the Home button with their thumb
- Photo of a person holding an iPhone with their right hand while touching the Home button with their thumb
- A fingerprint that changes colour during the setup process.
- Recognition is %@ complete

Several reports have indicated that incorporating a fingerprint sensor into the iPhone 5S has proven difficult for Apple, potentially limiting launch supplies of the device as production bottlenecks are worked out.

Related Forums: iOS 7, iPhone

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Top Rated Comments

shootingrubber Avatar
151 months ago
The title should read "Apple copies Samsung's fingerprint scanner"

Yeah. What about Samsung copying Apple's iPhone? Oh, they didn't right?
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
151 months ago
I can't wait to see future rumors titled "Thumb Bandits Strike Again, iTunes Accounts Drained".
I've taken the liberty of Photoshopping the image that will most likely accompany these rumors:

Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
abraxian Avatar
151 months ago
Really? Your fingerprints will be all over the phone, shouldn't be too difficult to lift them

That is... not how biometrics work.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hydr Avatar
151 months ago
If this is true, it´s big. If they can solve this problem, it will be the beginning of the end of all username/passwords.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Menel Avatar
151 months ago
The title should read "Apple copies Samsung's fingerprint scanner"

Which Sammy phone has a fingerprint sensor???

Pretty sure S4 and Note do not...
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NickRichyRich Avatar
151 months ago
The button makes more sense to me and seems like it would be a hell of a lot easier than trying to do something like that through the screen. Either way that is really cool to see!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)