iPhone 5s launched with latest fingerprint tech
Launched on Tuesday the 10th, the iPhone 5s seems to be kicking-up quite the storm. And no, not because it offers the user a completely different experience; the phone is still similar to its predecessor, the iPhone5. The fuss is thanks to the phones only completely new feature, the built-in finger print scanner called TouchID.
TouchID is a security feature which has been placed on the 5s’ home button. Senior Apple Marketing VP, Phil Schiller explains, “It's a touch-capacitive sensor. It's super-thin - its 170 microns thin, that's just thicker than a human hair - yet it's very high resolution: 500 pixels per inch. You can turn your finger and read it in any orientation." Which essentially means users will only have to touch part of their finger to the home button once for it to immediately unlock.
So why is it causing such a fuss? Well, Apple has decided to use TouchID as the 5s’ first line of defence. This means that is has effectively replaced the need for passwords and pins. Furthermore, the TouchID works with your iTunes account. In theory, this has explosive potential. The user will have a few less password and pin combos they will have to remember and, with an individual touch of a button, they can easily gain access to their phone, apps and music. Furthermore, the user can decide to give access to their phone to four others, as the phone can recognise five different sets of prints if prompted to do so. However, this only applies to the unlocking of the 5s as iTunes accounts will only be accessible to a single individual.
And don’t expect passwords and pins to completely vanish. The phone has to be unlocked with a pin if not used for 48hours. Furthermore, the user is encouraged to set pins and passwords to protect sensitive information that may be stored or accessed via their phones. Arkami Biometrics CEO Benjamin Chen shared his thoughts on the safety of TouchID, “If the [fingerprints] could get hijacked, it becomes serious. How well biometrics are protected as a standard hasn't really been documented. I think biometrics are a huge step forward for ease of use and making things more secure. But you can change your password, you can't change your fingerprint."
Yet is seems Apple has addressed at least part of this concern. The only place these scans are stored are on your phone in the iPhone A7 chip, making it inaccessible to online hackers – at least for now.
Overall the response to this latest feature has been positive, and has most certainly set the bar for Smartphone security. What remains to be seen is how Smartphone giants Samsung will respond.
The iPhone 5s has no set South African release date, but is expected to available in-stores by December 2013. Preorders are open from today, September 13 2013.
