Report: Touch ID Will Not Return on iPhone 16

Apple's iPhone 16 lineup will not see the return of Touch ID fingerprint authentication technology, a new report claims.

Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor Under Display Feature 2
The information comes from an integrated circuit expert on Weibo with a track record for sharing information about Apple's plans. In a new post, they explained that most of the equipment originally used to manufacture the chips required for the iPhone's version of ‌Touch ID‌ has apparently now been permanently shut down, with the only remaining units used for the third-generation iPhone SE, suggesting that Apple has no plans to resurrect ‌Touch ID‌ as a method to authenticate on the ‌iPhone‌ in the immediate future. It is also worth pointing out that there are no noteworthy rumors about the return of Apple's fingerprint scanning technology for the ‌iPhone 16‌ lineup that are still dependable.

Reports suggest that the fourth-generation ‌iPhone SE‌ will feature Face ID, replacing the last ‌iPhone‌ model that still features ‌Touch ID‌. Even so, rumors persist that Apple is working on under-display fingerprint technology that could debut around 2026 – the same time frame that the company is ostensibly planning to move Face ID under the display of the device.

The Weibo source was first to report that the iPhone 14 would retain the A15 Bionic chip, with the A16 being exclusive to the ‌‌iPhone 14‌‌ Pro models. They recently said that the chip designed for the upcoming ‌iPhone 16‌ and ‌‌iPhone 16‌‌ Plus will be made using a distinct manufacturing process, differing fundamentally from the A17 Pro chip in the iPhone 15 Pro, to reduce production costs.

Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro

Popular Stories

mac mini thermal architecture feature

New Mac Mini Has Modular Storage, 256GB Model Will Have Faster SSD

Friday November 8, 2024 7:06 am PST by
Apple has returned to using two 128GB storage chips in the new Mac mini with 256GB of storage, according to a partial teardown video shared on social media today. This means the base-model Mac mini with the M4 chip will not have significantly slower SSD speeds compared to higher-end configurations of the computer with 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB of storage, as multiple NAND chips allows for faster SSD...
best buy holiday

Best Buy Reveals Black Friday Plans With Sitewide Sales Available Now

Friday November 8, 2024 10:05 am PST by
Black Friday sales are continuing today with Best Buy kicking off early Black Friday deals that will last for the next few days. Similar to other retailers, Best Buy's early Black Friday event includes sitewide savings on Apple products, headphones, TVs, monitors, video games, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may...
iphone passcode green

Cops Suspect iOS 18 iPhones Are Communicating to Force Reboots, Making Unlocking Harder

Thursday November 7, 2024 2:20 pm PST by
Law enforcement officials in Detroit, Michigan are warning other police officers about an alleged iPhone change that causes Apple devices stored for forensic examination to spontaneously restart, reports 404 Media. iPhones that are undergoing examination have apparently been rebooting, which makes them harder to unlock with brute force methods, and Michigan police think that it's due to a...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.2 Beta 2

Monday November 4, 2024 12:34 pm PST by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 updates to developers, and Apple is continuing to refine the Apple Intelligence capabilities. There are also a handful of smaller features that are worth knowing about. Find My Find My has a new option to Share Item Location with an "airline or trusted person" that can help you locate something that you've misplaced....
M4 MacBook Pros Thumb

M4 MacBook Pro Reviews: Processor Benchmarks Impress, New Nano-Texture Option Worth the Extra $150

Thursday November 7, 2024 6:14 am PST by
The first wave of reviews of Apple's new M4-powered MacBook Pro models were published this morning. We've collected some of the latest impressions from YouTube channels and select media outlets below. Apple last month announced the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding next-generation M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, with Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display and camera ...
High Power Mode Feature 2

Apple Expands High Power Mode to MacBook Pro and Mac Mini Models With M4 Pro Chip

Thursday November 7, 2024 12:15 pm PST by
High Power Mode is available on the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini models with the M4 Pro chip, according to Ars Technica's Andrew Cunningham. The feature was previously limited to Macs with Apple's highest-end "Max" chip, so this is the first time it is available on Macs with a "Pro" chip. This is the second time that Apple has expanded availability of High Power...
early apple watch black friday

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Watch Deals

Wednesday November 6, 2024 6:33 am PST by
Black Friday is just around the corner, and Apple Watch deals have begun appearing ahead of the shopping holiday on November 29. In this article, we'll take a look at all of the best early Black Friday Apple Watch deals, including the new Series 10 models. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...
iOS 18 Notes Feature

How to Fix iPhone Notes Disappearing After Accepting New iCloud Terms

Thursday November 7, 2024 7:57 am PST by
Apple in September updated its iCloud terms and conditions with some minor changes, and this week it has been notifying iPhone users that they must accept the revised terms in order to continue using iCloud. Unfortunately, after accepting the new terms, some iPhone users have seen all of their notes disappear in the Notes app. While some users have turned to social media to justifiably panic ...

Top Rated Comments

phill85 Avatar
13 months ago
…was anyone expecting it to?? ?
Score: 48 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SirAnthonyHopkins Avatar
13 months ago
Report: Intel chips will not return to 2024 MacBooks
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
oldmacs Avatar
13 months ago

Good. Never worked right. Still not working on M2 Air. Human hands, too many variables for consistency versus security.
It doesn't work for you, but always worked fantastically for me and continues to on my personal and work Macs and my iPad.

I don't get why people are so against touch ID coming back ALONGSIDE FaceID - would give everyone the ability to use the tech they want.

I miss Touch ID even 2.5 years into owning a TouchID iPhone.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wonderings Avatar
13 months ago
There are plenty of time I would like touch ID. If I am in a meeting or somewhere I don't want to hold my phone up to properly scan my face Touch ID would be simple and easy. Sitting and looking down while holding a phone generally does not work for me. Not a feature I would lose sleep over with not being there, just think it is actually a handy thing and always nice to have options.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
slyronit Avatar
13 months ago
Why would anyone with half a brain expect it to return?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icanhazapple Avatar
13 months ago

Face ID "just works"
Unless you have your phone at the angle where Face ID "works" - no, it doesn't. I want to be able to unlock my iPhone from a distance, at any angle, like when I'm on laying on the couch or in bed and want to check something without having to position the phone in a way where Face ID can scan my face.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)