Apple Foldable iPhone and in-display finger-print scanner

Apple iPhone 13, that shall arrive later this year is unlikely to have any major upgrades. But if we go by Bloomberg report, then we might see an in-display finger-print scanner in the new iPhone, since Apple has started testing as an important change.

It seems like Apple was never a fan of Touch ID from the start. Except iPhone SE (2020), no other iPhone came with Touch ID ever since this technology arrived in the smartphone market and hence, has always relied on Face ID for biometric authentication . However, due to the covid-19 pandemic, Face ID has become less effective and Touch ID has become more efficient, as people just have to make a touch to unlock their phones instead of pulling down their mask for facial recognition or go through the hassle of entering the security code.

But with changing situation and demand in the market, Apple has probably understood the need of Touch ID. This means, that you will get a similar display, similar design, similar cameras, similar Face ID and similar connectivity ports and points in iPhone 13, just like iPhone 12 with an added feature of in-display finger-print scanner.

The report by Bloomberg also claims that Apple in order to support wireless charging may also remove the charging port from some iPhone models.

Furthermore, Apple has also started planning to work on a Foldable iPhone. However, it is very unlikely to see Apple completing the work on the new Foldable iPhone and launch the device this year itself.

According to sources, Apple has only conceptualized the idea of a foldable phone, and the work on it is at a very early stage. They do not even have a fully working prototype on the table yet. The company is looking for foldable and flexible screens that they could work on.

With companies like Samsung, Xiaomi and LG dipping their toes in the foldable phone segment, Apple is also exploring how it can put a foldable screen in the iPhone. But even if Apple decides to move to foldable screens for the iPhone, it is unlikely to happen before 2022 or even 2023 or 2024. We have seen in the past that Apple often moves to a new technology only when it is certain that the technology is ready for regular use and that it enhances the product.

Foldable phones are still very new in the market. Samsung has launched two such phones, Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Fold 2. A few days ago, a prototype of Xiaomi foldable phone was leaked on web. Above that, LG has cleared its intention of launching their new rolling dual screen by the end of this year.

But despite all the efforts, the concept of foldable phones will take time to flourish in the smartphone market, as people any day prefer regular phones over this new technology. So, it may come out to be in Apple’s favor if they decide to launch their foldable phone, when the heat for such devices in the market is high.