iPhone 5S Fingerprint Scanning Home Button to Look Nearly Identical, iOS 7 for iPad to Debut Later with New Hardware?

ios_7_iconAs we get closer to the September 10th announcement of the new iPhone and the public launch of the next version of iOS, more details are leaking out regarding the new 5S and the rollout of iOS 7.

Mark Gurman at 9to5Mac, who has reported accurately in the past, published a lengthy post today sharing a number of tidbits that he has heard from his sources.

Gurman says there will be a fingerprint scanner built into the home button of the iPhone 5S, but it will not look significantly different from the current home button. He also says that Apple did not build the fingerprint scanner into early prototypes of the 5S, but instead tested the scanners in an external housing.

Previously, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has on a number of occasions offered accurate information on Apple's product plans, said the iPhone 5S may include a sapphire-covered home button with a convex shape to fit the fingerprint sensor. However, Gurman says the new home button will not be dramatically different:

The new Home button’s design will not be noticeably convex. Perhaps the shape has changed slightly, but the tweaked button is nothing distinct enough for the iPhone 5S to be identified as anything but an iPhone 5 by the untrained eye. There’s the possibility, however, that the etching and border of the Home button could become more shiny and look slightly different.

He says Apple is concerned about user privacy and security and, with very few iPhone owners using a passcode, the company is hoping the fingerprint scanner will help keep iPhones secure. The 5S will have an option to disable the fingerprint sensor, however.

When iOS 7 was first released to developers at WWDC back in June, Apple delayed the initial beta release for the iPad by several weeks. Gurman says the iPad version of iOS 7 continues to run behind the iPhone version, which remains the priority for Apple's engineers. As a result, he says Apple is considering a delay in the final release of iOS 7 for the iPad, perhaps holding it for release in late September or early October alongside the launch of updated iPad hardware.

Many developers have noted that the iOS 7 builds for iPad feel unstable and unreliable compared to the iPhone-optimized betas. The reason is that Apple started on iOS 7 for iPhone prior to building for the iPad.

Apple is also rumored to be working on iOS 7-specific training sessions for Apple Retail Stores, as the company is expecting some customers to be surprised by the new look-and-feel of the software and that they will need extra help.

Apple engineers are also "said to be working overtime" to ensure that iOS 7 runs smoothly on the iPhone 4 and that iOS 7 may be the last version of iOS to support the iPhone 4.

Finally, Gurman offers a few notes about future versions of iOS, including that Apple is hard at work on iOS 7.1 and it could include some iOS in the Car features. He notes that details are scarce regarding iOS 8, but he's heard about several projects "in development" at Apple:

We’ve heard that a Siri API, with restrictions to certain app categories (like weather, information, and news apps), has been considered in the past. Also in the works are advancements to iOS in the Car that could tie in an iPhone’s camera to provide the car improved information about current road conditions. This could help with re-routing vehicles via the iOS Maps app

iOS 7 is scheduled for release in the fall of this year, with updates to Apple’s iPhone and iPad lineups expected around the same time. If past history is any indication, iOS 7 should be made available to the public just a few days before the release of the next-generation iPhone.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...

Top Rated Comments

ghsDUDE Avatar
155 months ago
So many leaks...September 10th will be more of a confirmation than an actual announcement.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rdlink Avatar
155 months ago
One little nit, and I only bring it up because I've seen it a few times in Macrumors articles recently: Can you please stop using the grammatically incorrect and redundant statement: "past history"?

All history is past history. It's either "past experience" or just "history."

Saying "past history" is like saying "hot water heater."
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iKaushal Avatar
155 months ago
So many leaks...September 10th will be more of a confirmation than an actual announcement.

hehehe

hasn't it been the case since a few years with all apple releases?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mdelvecchio Avatar
155 months ago
"Doubling down", lol.

i havent seen a fingerprint sensor. have you? please share
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iMerik Avatar
155 months ago
Making it simple and easy to both secure and authenticate to your phone is a welcome, huge upgrade IMO.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mdelvecchio Avatar
155 months ago
Actually, I'd be more worried about being able to get past the fingerprint sensor. This is a device you hold in your hand for multiple minutes/hours a day. You're fingerprints are all over this thing. I would think if a thief steals your phone, and has even a modicum of smarts about how to get a fingerprint off your phone using a basic fingerprint kit which can be purchased at any spy shop type place, they could use that to bypass the sensor and unlock the phone.

Maybe I'm wrong, and it's not that easy, but I hope they've thought this through.

yeah man. because street hoods are all about the spy shops. theyll be sure to wear gloves and keep it out of their pockets, too.

geeze. do you people really worry about this stuff??
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)