Return of Beloved iPhone Feature Off the Table Until iPhone 17

Touch ID will not return to the iPhone via an under-display implementation until the iPhone 17 at the earliest, a key report suggests.

Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor Under Display Feature 2
In a September 2021 research note, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted that Apple would launch at least one new ‌iPhone‌ model with an under-screen fingerprint scanner in the second half of 2023. According to Kuo's latest report on the matter, no new ‌iPhone‌ models released in 2023 or 2024 will adopt under-display ‌Touch ID‌, meaning that 2025's "‌iPhone 17‌" lineup is the next set of devices that could see the return of the beloved authentication feature.

Apple apparently tested an under-screen fingerprint scanner for at least some ‌iPhone‌ 13 models, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, but the company seemingly decided not to move forward with the idea.

Under-screen ‌Touch ID‌ would have been most useful when Face ID did not work with masks, but iOS 15.4 introduced a new "Face ID with a Mask" feature on ‌iPhone‌ 12 models and newer to address this problem. There is still a strong argument to suggest that having both ‌Face ID‌ and ‌Touch ID‌ on an ‌iPhone‌ would provide users with more robust security and faster authentication.

There remains a possibility that Apple introduces an ‌iPhone‌ with ‌Touch ID‌ built into the Power Button, in line with the latest iPad, iPad mini, and iPad Air models. 2025's iPhone 17 Pro models are also rumored to introduce under-display Face ID technology, so under-display ‌Touch ID‌ could follow soon after.

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...