According to recent reports, it seems that one particular Apple supplier think so. During a recent earnings report covered by analyst Gene Munster, Apple supplier Finisar announced the purchase of a 700,000 square foot plant. If you’re unfamiliar with Finisar, they are the company that suppliers vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays, which is used in the TrueDepth camera system and subsequently Face ID.
The purchase of the manufacturing plant has been interpreted as Finisar’s attempt to ramp up the production of its components, and while they do supply to other companies, the report is suggesting that the ramp up could also be to help facilitate implementation of Face ID into 2018’s iPhones.
We have heard reports that Apple could adopt Face ID in newer iOS devices if the feature was well-received, which includes iPhones and also iPads. Whether or not those reports are true remains to be seen, but this does seem to hint that Apple could be interested in expanding its availability.