Touch ID
Touch ID is an
Apple retained Touch ID on iPhone 8, 2nd generation iPhone SE, 3rd generation iPhone SE, and the base model iPads, while all other iPhones since the iPhone X in 2017, and the higher-end iPad Pro have adopted Face ID recognition. The Touch ID sensor has been integrated with the sleep/wake button on several iPads: the 4th and 5th-generation iPad Air, 6th-generation iPad Mini, and the 10th-generation iPad. In 2020, 2021 and 2022, Apple unveiled a new Magic Keyboard with optional Touch ID for its line of iMacs, Mac Studios, and Mac minis, and also the MacBook Pro. While combining both gens of Touch ID on iPhone in total 8 models including the iPhone SE Lineup have touch ID
History
In 2012, Apple acquired AuthenTec, a company focused on fingerprint-reading and identification management software, for $356 million.[3] The acquisition led commentators to expect a fingerprint reading feature.[3][4] Following leaks and speculation in early September the next year,[5][6] the iPhone 5s was unveiled on September 10, 2013, and was the first phone on a major US carrier to feature the technology.[7] Apple's Vice President of Marketing, Phil Schiller, announced the feature at Apple's iPhone media event and spent several minutes (the major portion of the conference) discussing the feature.
Wells Fargo analyst Maynard Um predicted on September 4, 2013, that a fingerprint sensor in the iPhone 5s would help mobile commerce and boost adoption in the corporate environment.[8] "As consumers increasingly rely on mobile devices to transact and store personal data, a reliable device-side authentication solution may become a necessity," Um said.[8]
With the unveiling of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at a keynote event on September 9, 2014, Touch ID was expanded from being used to unlock the device and authenticating App Store purchases to also authenticating Apple Pay. The iPhone 6s incorporates a second-generation Touch ID sensor that is up to twice as fast as the first-generation sensor found in the 5s, 6, and SE (1st generation) phones. As of August 2022, the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, SE (2nd generation), SE (3rd generation), 2016 and later MacBook Pro, 2018 and later MacBook Air, iPad Pro (2nd generation) and later, iPad Air (3rd generation) and later, and iPad mini (5th generation) or later are the Apple devices which use the second generation sensor. The new Touch ID unlocks almost instantly and posed an issue as it unlocks too fast to read notifications on the lock screen. This is remedied with the iOS 10 update in which a user must press the home button to have the home screen appear. This, however, can be changed in iOS settings so that users can go directly to the home screen after resting their finger on the sensor, similar to previous versions of iOS. Solely placing a finger on the sensor will only unlock the iPhone unless said setting is enabled, and no notifications are currently being displayed on the lock screen.
Generations
First generation
Model | Announced |
---|---|
iPhone 5s | September 10, 2013 |
iPhone SE (1st generation) | March 21, 2016 |
iPhone 6 & 6 Plus | September 9, 2014 |
iPad Pro 12.9-inch[9] | September 9, 2015 |
iPad Pro 9.7-inch[9] | March 21, 2016 |
iPad Air 2[9] | October 16, 2014 |
iPad Mini 3 | |
iPad Mini 4[9] | September 9, 2015 |
iPad (5th generation) | March 24, 2017 |
iPad (6th generation) | March 27, 2018 |
iPad (7th generation) | September 10, 2019 |
iPad (8th generation) | September 15, 2020 |
iPad (9th generation) | September 14, 2021 |
Second generation
Hardware
Touch ID is built into the home (top) button, which is built of
The sensor uses
Security and privacy
Touch ID can be bypassed using passcodes set up by the user.[13]
Fingerprint data are stored on the secure enclave inside the
In order to overcome potential security drawbacks, Apple's invention includes a process of collapsing the full maps into a sort of checksum, hash function, or histogram. For example, each encrypted ridge map template can have some lower resolution pattern computed and associated with the ridge map. One exemplary pattern could be a histogram of, e.g., the most common angles (e.g., a 2 dimensional (2D) array of common angles). The exemplary pattern could include in each slot an average value over a respective vector of the map. The exemplary pattern could include in each slot a sum of the values over a respective vector of the map. The exemplary pattern could include the smallest or largest value within a respective vector of the map or could be a difference between a largest and a smallest value within the respective vector of the map. Numerous other exemplary embodiments are also possible, and any other exemplary pattern calculation can be used, where the exemplary pattern includes enough associated information to narrow the candidate list, while omitting enough associated information that the unsecured pattern cannot or cannot easily be reverse engineered into a matching texture.
If the user's phone has been rebooted, has not been unlocked for 48 hours, has its SIM card removed or has Emergency SOS activated, only the passcode a user has created, not their fingerprint, can be used to unlock the device or during other specific use cases.[15][16]
In September 2013, the German Chaos Computer Club announced that it had bypassed Apple's Touch ID security. A spokesman for the group stated: "We hope that this finally puts to rest the illusions people have about fingerprint biometrics. It is plain pity to use something that you can't change and that you leave everywhere every day as a security token."[17][18] Similar results have been achieved by using PVA Glue to take a cast of the finger.[19] Others have also used Chaos Computer Club's method but concluded that it is not an easy process in either time or effort, given that the user has to use a high resolution photocopy of a complete fingerprint, special chemicals, and expensive equipment and because the spoofing process takes some time to achieve.[20]
Impact
In a 2013 New York magazine opinion piece, technology columnist Kevin Roose argued that consumers are generally not interested in fingerprint recognition, preferring to use passcodes instead. Traditionally, he wrote, only businesspeople used biometric recognition, although they believe Touch ID may help bring fingerprint recognition to the masses. Roose stated the feature will also allow application developers to experiment, should Apple open up access to Touch ID later on (which they have done), but that those wary of surveillance agencies such as the US National Security Agency may still choose not to use Touch ID.[21]
Roose also noted that fingerprint technology still has some issues, such as the potential to be hacked, or of the device's not recognizing the fingerprint (for example, when the finger has been injured).[21]
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, writing for
Roose also stated the feature is intended to deter theft.[21] However, Brent Kennedy, a vulnerability analyst at the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, expressed concern that Touch ID could be hacked and suggested that people not rely on it right away.[23] Forbes noted a history of fingerprints being spoofed in the past, and cautioned that the fingerprints on a stolen iPhone might be used to gain unauthorized access. However, the article did say that biometrics technology had improved since tests on spoofing fingerprint readers had been conducted.[23]
Kingsley-Hughes suggested the Touch ID as a form of
Forbes columnist Andy Greenberg said the fact that fingerprint data was stored on the local device and not in a centralized database was a win for security.[24]
See also
References
- ^ "Everything you need to know about iPhone 5S's Touch ID fingerprint sensor". iPhone Hacks | #1 iPhone, iPad, iOS Blog. 2013-09-10. Retrieved 2020-12-07.
- ^ "About Touch ID advanced security technology". Apple Support. 11 September 2017.
- ^ a b c Rosenblatt, Seth (September 10, 2013). "iPhone 5S comes with Touch ID fingerprint scanner". CNET. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ Valazco, Chris (September 11, 2013). "Apple's Touch ID Is A 500ppi Fingerprint Sensor Built Into The iPhone 5S Home Button". TechCrunch. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ "iPhone 5S: Une photo du bouton Home avec lecteur d'empreintes digitales?!" [iPhone 5S: A photo of the Home button with fingerprint reader?!] (in French). NowhereElse. September 3, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ "iPhone 5S: Le lecteur d'empreintes digitales confirmé?!" [iPhone 5S: The fingerprint reader confirmed ?!] (in French). NowhereElse. September 10, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ Newton, Casey (September 10, 2013). "Apple's new iPhone will read your fingerprint". The Verge. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ AppleInsider. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ a b c d "iPad - Compare Models - Apple". apple. 2017-02-01. Archived from the original on February 1, 2017. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
- ^ a b "Apple Announces iPhone 5S - The Most Forward-Thinking Smartphone in the World". The Wall Street Journal. September 10, 2013. Archived from the original on September 13, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ AppleInsider. September 10, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ Gilbert, Ben (September 10, 2013). "iPhone 5s fingerprint sensor called Touch ID, recognizes your thumb on the Home button: here's how it works and what it does". Engadget. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ "Use a passcode with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch". 28 March 2022.
- US Patent & Trademark Office. May 18, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
- ^ "Apple: New iPhone Not Storing Fingerprints, Doesn't Like Sweat". Digital. The Wall Street Journal. September 11, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ "iOS Security Guide" (PDF). Apple Inc. March 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 19, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
- ^ Rieger, Frank (September 21, 2013). "Chaos Computer Club breaks Apple Touch ID". Chaos Computer Club. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
- CBS Interactive Inc.Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ Rogers, Marc (September 23, 2013). "Why I Hacked Apple's TouchID, And Still Think It Is Awesome". Lookout. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
- ^ "Why I hacked Touch ID (Again) and still think it's awesome". Archived from the original on 2017-07-03. Retrieved 2017-05-23.
- ^ a b c Roose, Kevin (September 10, 2013). "Will the New iPhone's 'Touch ID' Feature Finally Make Fingerprint Scanning Happen?". New York. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ ZDNet. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ a b c Greenberg, Andy (September 10, 2013). "Apple's New iPhone 'Touch ID' Makes Fingerprint Scans Easy, But Don't Ditch Passcodes Yet". Forbes. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ Steinberg, Joseph (September 13, 2013). "Your New iPhone Can Put Your Identity At Risk". Forbes. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
External links
- About Touch ID advanced security technology – official site
- Use Touch ID on iPhone and iPad – official site
- Use Touch ID on MacBook – official site