Touch ID Not Returning With iPhone 13, Despite Apple Testing Under-Screen Sensor

Despite having tested and worked on the technology, Apple has decided not to include an under-screen Touch ID sensor with the upcoming iPhone 13, continuing to leave customers with Face ID as the only biometric authentication option for the ‌iPhone‌.

iPhone 12 Touch ID Feature Img
Apple had been testing ‌Touch ID‌ technology that would have allowed the company to place the sensor under the display on the ‌iPhone‌, allowing users to simply put their finger on the display to authenticate. While Apple regularly tests and researches new ideas and technologies, reports earlier in the year had suggested the company was on track to include ‌Touch ID‌ under the display with the 2021 iPhones.

Now, however, Apple's plans have shifted dramatically, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports in his latest Power On newsletter, an under-screen ‌Touch ID‌ sensor "won't make the cut" for the ‌iPhone‌ 13. Gurman states that Apple's eventual goal is to embed ‌Face ID‌ under the display rather than ‌Touch ID‌.

The second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE is currently the only ‌iPhone‌ within the lineup that features ‌Touch ID‌, but it has made a recent reappearance in the iPad. With the latest-generation iPad Air, Apple engineers were able to embed ‌Touch ID‌ into the Power Button. Apple could choose to bring that same technology to future low-end iPhones while keeping ‌Face ID‌ exclusive to higher-end models.

The reasons for Apple's decision to scrap its initial plan to include ‌Touch ID‌ with the ‌iPhone‌ 13 remains unknown; however, the company may not have felt that the technology is mature enough yet to go mainstream in its flagship iPhones. Alternatively, the company may have felt less pressure to include the feature following the launch of iOS 14.5, which allows customers to unlock their iPhones with their Apple Watch.

The global health crisis and daily wearing of a face mask increased demand for ‌Touch ID‌, as ‌Face ID‌ doesn't work while a user is wearing a face covering. Apple addressed the problem with iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4, allowing customers to unlock their ‌iPhone‌ while they're wearing a mask, as long as they have an Apple Watch.

While the lack of an under-screen ‌Touch ID‌ sensor will be disappointing for some, Apple is still planning some considerable upgrades with the ‌iPhone‌ 13. The new iPhones will focus heavily on camera capabilities, including ProRes and portrait mode for videos. The new handsets will also include a smaller notch, larger batteries, and improved performance.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
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...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adds a Useful New Wi-Fi Feature to Your iPhone

Wednesday July 2, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a smaller yet useful Wi-Fi feature to iPhones and iPads. As spotted by Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, sign-in details for captive Wi-Fi networks are now synced across iPhones and iPads running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, while Weinbach was staying at a Hilton hotel, his iPhone prompted him to fill in Wi-Fi details from his iPad that was already...
iOS 18

Apple Releases Second iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:19 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a second beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible...

Top Rated Comments

jaijaibinx Avatar
51 months ago
I'm getting tired of waiting for Apple to catch up with the competition. My biggest bug bear right now is wearing face masks and not being able to authenticate Apple Pay in stores. I've never found FaceID to be more convenient than TouchID... Fix it.
Score: 96 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cbns Avatar
51 months ago
Well that's a massive disappointment. Touch Id is so much better
Score: 65 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
51 months ago
kind of ridiculous, even my cheap Samsung Galaxy A52 from work has a under the screen fingerprint scanner and it is working flawless. I love how you just touch the screen and your finger almost lights up with an animation popping up on the screen. It almost feels like magic.

I guess that is the disadvantage of having the perfect cash cow in the case of Apple, why bother with anything but camera improvements and a faster chip that you won't really take advantage of, if people (I am not an exception!) just buy it anyway.
Score: 62 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NBAasDOGG Avatar
51 months ago
It’s very obvious that Apple milks the iPhone. And clearly they wil NOT pack an iPhone with all the new features they can come up with. They have to safe some gimmick for the next year’s lineup…
Score: 59 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lerxt Avatar
51 months ago
Foolish move Apple, but hey, I’m not buying it regardless if it spies on me.
Score: 53 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Damian83 Avatar
51 months ago
No touchID, no usb-c, no reason to upgrade my iphone8.
Score: 53 Votes (Like | Disagree)