Ultrasonic Touch ID

Apple pursues research into advanced fingerprint recognition for the iPhone

A patent hints at the future of fingerprint tech

Apple’s pursuit of thinner, lighter, bezel-free phones seemingly knows no limits, and its quest to make the sleekest device possible looks set to focus on improving the fingerprint scanner.

A new patent shows the company once again turning its attention to the possibility of embedding an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner into the display of its future phones, though it’s not yet known whether the tech is intended for the iPhone 8 or a model further into the future.

It’s the second time we’ve heard evidence of such a system being employed, adding weight to the likelihood that the feature will eventually make it into the wild.

So, what’s the benefit of this method rather than a physical Touch ID sensor that’s built into the Home button? As well as the space saving efficiencies of putting the tech under the screen, Apple sees the ultrasonic tech as “the most accurate but least common finger-scanning technology.”

It states that: “Contaminants such as grease, lotion, dirt, sweat, and food particles on a finger can degrade a captured fingerprint image, which can prevent a fingerprint sensing device from matching the captured fingerprint image to a known fingerprint image.

“Alternatively, a finger contacting an input surface of the fingerprint sensing device with too much or too little pressure can reduce the quality of the captured fingerprint image and prevent the fingerprint sensing device from recognizing the user.”

The patent also states the idea could be combined with the current technology to improve it. It sounds to us, though, like it fits with recent hints we’ve heard about an iPhone with an on-screen Home button.

As ever with a patent application, it’s not a guarantee of a product or feature being in development. But with evidence mounting, we’d say this one is steadily edging towards inevitability rather than just being a possibility.