I'm gutted Apple's dropped my favorite iPhone feature, but it might return this year

Date:
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Description:
Rumors circulating around the iPhone Fold suggest the best hardware feature I think Apples introduced on the iPhone is about to make a comeback.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter I still believe Touch ID is the best hardware feature Apple s introduced on the iPhone, and compared to the Android implementations of the time, it was head and shoulders above the competition in 2013.

In the years since, weve seen Apple bring its fingerprint scanning technology to iPad and Mac. In fact, just a few weeks ago Apple delivered the excellent MacBook Neo , with the 512GB configuration offering Touch ID for easy, secure unlocking. To borrow an iconic Steve Jobs phrase, it just works . Article continues below You may like Keep your huge screens and triple cameras I
just want the iPhone 5s back The rumored touchscreen MacBook Pro could still be missing this key feature The last iPhone with a headphone jack was
released 10 years ago in 2016, and I will go to my grave resenting Apple for it

Yet, Apple has dropped Touch ID across its entire iPhone fleet, with Face ID the preferred biometric sensor of choice. All is not lost though, and rumors have me hopeful that well see Touch ID make a return on at least one iPhone model in 2026. From gimmick to game-changer Its fair to say there was some skepticism around Touch ID when Apple first unveiled it on the iPhone 5S , with some fans disappointed with its inclusion instead of features such as a larger screen or NFC.

Apple wasnt the first to include a biometric scanner on a phone. Yet in 2013, fingerprint scanners werent prevalent among competitors, and those that had the feature either provided a cumbersome implementation that was difficult to use (hello HTC One Max ), or failed to gain traction in the market (who remembers the Motorola Atrix ?)

So Touch ID was in, something the iPhone 5S key competitors didnt have. What the likes of the Galaxy S4 and HTC One did offer though were the larger screens and NFC connectivity some Apple fans were calling for. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Touch ID debuted on
the iPhone 5S (Image credit: Getty Images) However, perceptions around Touch ID quickly changed when the iPhone 5S started to land in peoples hands including mine. When our unit arrived in the TechRadar office I fell in love with the technology, and I was jealous of my colleague reviewing it as I was charged with the Touch ID-less iPhone 5C review .

Touch ID just made sense. It fell seamlessly under my thumb and was easy to use. There was no complicated explanation or convoluted setup required it
did exactly what Apple promised, and it forced the rest of the market to play catch-up. The great dilemma: face or finger While I do miss Touch ID on the iPhone, I dont miss the home button it was embedded in. Im all for
full-screen phones with minimal bezel, and under-screen fingerprint scanners dominate the Android phone market to facilitate this design. These days they work exceptionally well, too. What to read next Are hardware phone keyboards just a fad, or a sign of bigger problems? I think the time is right for small phones to make a comeback Samsung just won CES 2026 with its creaseless folding OLED but I hope the iPhone Fold gets it first

Apples reluctance to follow this trend and stick with Face ID is one of its more surprising moves, as the fingerprint technology is well established and there isnt a cost barrier to speak of, as even many of the best cheap phones come with an under-screen digit reader.

Dont get me wrong, Face ID works well, is popular with many iPhone users, and has its own advantages. It's especially useful if your fingers are wet,
dirty, or covered by gloves, but I find there's something reassuring about
the tactility of Touch ID plus someone can't just pick up your iPhone and hold it to your face to unlock.

Most of the time our phones are already in our hands, and require a finger to operate them, so having a fingerprint scanner available still makes sense
from a practicality standpoint.

Many premium Android rivals offer both biometric options; under-screen fingerprint scanning, and facial recognition, giving the user the choice of which one to use. As someone who prefers fingerprint scanners, this is the route I choose when using Android devices. Face ID has replaced Touch ID on every model of iPhone (Image credit: Getty Images) Apples always been about simplifying choices, so offering just Face ID on the iPhone falls in line
with the firms our way or the highway style of doing things. I get it, but Touch ID hasnt been phased out on Mac and iPad (not yet at least), which
shows its a technology customers are familiar with and comfortable using.

There is potential light at the end of the tunnel though. Rumors that popped up around Apples 50th anniversary heavily suggested that well see the iPhone Fold Apple first foldable smartphone launch later this year. And yes, its tipped to come with Touch ID . The return Ive been waiting for? In early
2025, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who has a pretty good track record with Apple predictions suggested that the foldable iPhone would come with Touch ID
built into a side-button.

This is the common location on foldable phones, with the Samsung Galaxy Z
Fold 7 , Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold and Oppo Find N6 all featuring side-mounted power keys with a fingerprint scanner. It means the key is always accessible on the right side of the phone, whether youre using the outer (folded) or inner (unfolded) display. An under-screen scanner, or Face ID, would require two sensors, one on each screen, which certainly feels like overkill.

Apple isnt a stranger to this setup either, as youll find a 'power key-Touch ID' combo on recent models of the iPad, iPad Air and iPad Mini.

And look, Im pleased Touch ID could be making a comeback, but Ive had varying levels of success using these side-mounted scanners.

I have a fifth generation iPad Air , and the Touch ID sensor built into the power key can be hit-and-miss. Meanwhile, the under-screen scanners Ive used on flagship phones in recent years have been flawless.

Then, later last year, rumors started to circulate that the foldable iPhone might offer a Touch ID scanner in the screen. My initial excitement over this development was swiftly quashed however, as Kuo was quick to refute these claims . Six months ago, I predicted the foldable iPhone would use
side-button Touch ID. There are now market rumors that it will adopt an under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, but I think thats unlikely. Its expected that Luxshare ICT will supply the side-button Touch ID module https://t.co/KsGu49JXkP September 1, 2025 If the iPhone Fold does reintroduce Touch ID to the iPhone family later this year, it looks set to be a similar implementation to the one youll find on the non-Pro iPads (which now have
Face ID), with the sensor built into the power button.

So long as the accuracy and speed can match the current crop of under-screen scanners, Ill welcome the return of Touch ID with open fingers. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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