Future iPhones and iPads will feature Touch ID

The latest rumors about Apple’s future devices suggest both iPhones and iPads will feature touch ID. According to a report, Apple will launch touch ID modules starting this year, with its next flagship the iPhone 6. The report said Apple is planing to put Touch ID on each and every “non-iPod iOS” device they will launch from now on. Along with the two iPhone 6 versions, the second generation of iPad Air and the upgraded iPad mini with Retina are said to get Touch ID this year. The only Apple device featuring the Touch ID, built into the home button, is the iPhone 5S. Ming-Chi Kuo, KGI Securities analyst, said that Apple is expected to improve the durability of the Touch ID modules, using tin over previously used chemicals.

“Apple’s Touch ID module should see shipments soar 233% in 2014. We believe every now iOS device should launch this year will be equipped with Touch ID, including 4.7″ and 5.5″ new iPhone 6, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2 with Retina display. Considering shipments of new products and iPhone 5S sales last longer than in 2013, we forecast unit sales of the fingerprint sensor module to grow 223% to 120 mn for 2014”, said Kuo. Apple is also expected to continue their relationship with TSMC, whose branch XinTec produces the fingerprint sensors. Last month TSMC provided the first pack of fingerprint sensors for the iPhone 6, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3. Earlier this year, a report suggested that TSMC will begin the production of 12-inch fingerprint sensors, but then another report was released saying that TSMC will stick to the same 8-inch fingerprint sensors processing method used for the iPhone 5S.

The low output rates of the Touch ID was the main factor that contributed to the limited supplies of the iPhone 5S last year when the device was launched. So improving the shipments of Touch ID will definitely aid the launch supplies of all three devices, considering Apple is said to produce 120 million devices. It’s now certain that the iPhone 6 will feature Touch ID fingerprint sensors. Both the 4.7-inch and the rumored 5.4/5.5-inch device dubbed iPhone Air, will be launched later this year.