Apple gets the Touch ID patent under the display

Apple has obtained a patent for the optical reading of fingerprints under the display, a technology it uses in the latest 16-inch MacBook Pro

One of the biggest question marks on future iPhones is whether Apple will continue to use the Face ID or if it will instead adopt the Touch ID below the display .

Apple continues to work on both forms of biometric security and today has obtained a patent for an approach to a fingerprint sensor that could be incorporated into a display.

The patent itself is a way to read fingerprints optically. Existing iPhones with Touch ID sensors use capacitive touch to read fingerprint settings and Apple uses the same technology in the Touch ID sensor used on the 13 and 15 inch MacBook Pro and on the new MacBook Air.

According to Patently Apple , in the 16-inch MacBook Pro, however, Apple has switched to an optical reader . While this is simply incorporated into the power switch in the same way as previous capacitive versions, optical readers could also be used for the Touch ID under display.

The illustrations of Apple’s patents show precisely this possibility.

There have been several suggestions that Apple will replace the Face ID with the Touch ID under the display or offer both forms of authentication .

Every form of biometric authentication has its pros and cons. Face ID is faster, authenticates instantly without the need for explicit user actions. This is particularly useful with things like banking apps, where it is sufficient to open the app and access without problems without having to do practically nothing. However, the sensors require some space on the front of the device, so the Touch ID below the display would allow smaller frames ,  or even no frame , once even normal cameras and speakers can be incorporated into the display.

Furthermore, both Touch ID and Face ID have their fans, so offering both options could be considered the best of both worlds, although it would be a rather non-Apple approach: the company normally believes that users don’t. know what they want until you give it to them.