When Apple introduced Face ID on the iPhones (and eventually the iPad), they ended up removing Touch ID in the process. According to Apple back in 2017, Touch ID was never up for consideration when designing the iPhone X, suggesting that Apple could potentially be done with the tech on its mobile devices for good.
The refresh of the 2018 iPad Pros seem to confirm that, but in a report from Patently Apple, Apple could still be interested in fingerprint technology, albeit in the form of in-display sensors. There have been rumors in the past that suggested that the iPhone X could adopt such a feature, but those rumors obviously did not pan out.
However Patently Apple cites reports out of Taiwan who claims that certain companies that specialize in biometric security technology are vying for Apple’s business which could find their way into future iPads and maybe even the iPhone. The report claims that these companies are the same ones who supply the Touch ID sensors for Apple’s lower-end iPads, so upselling Apple on in-display tech wouldn’t be too hard.
It is possible that Apple might be looking to trial the feature on the iPad before deciding whether or not it will be brought over onto the iPhone, but whether or not that will happen remains unclear so take it with a grain of salt for now, especially since notable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had claimed back in September that 2019’s iPhones still will not feature in-display sensors.
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