Apple’s flagship iPhone for 2019 will come with a number of surprising design changes, according to one analyst.
Fans can expect USB-C connectivity and a smaller notch, as well as the return of Touch ID. Those hoping for “lightning-fast charging” and expandable storage will be disappointed, however.
We’re not expecting a significant iPhone redesign this year, but Apple is likely to make some big improvements to its hardware in an effort to encourage upgrades and boost slowing sales. One analyst, Jean Baptist Su, has some surprising predictions.
2019 could mark the return of Touch ID
Su, vice president and principal analyst at Atherton Research, expects the “re-designed iPhone X” to come with a smaller notch and USB-C connectivity — like the new iPad Pro lineup.
These predictions seem fairly plausible. Despite the acceptance of the notch, we’d rather not have it at all, and Apple has reportedly been working to shrink it ever since it was introduced. It also makes a lot of sense to finally bring USB-C to iPhone.
But Su makes another prediction that’s not so believable: Touch ID will return this year, and it will be embedded beneath the iPhone’s screen.
It makes no sense
This seems incredibly unlikely. iPhone fans have now accepted Face ID, and the majority of those who have used it have grown to love it. What’s more, Apple has been keen to point out that Face ID is significantly more secure than fingerprint scanners.
Face ID has now made its way to the iPad Pro, so Apple clearly believes it’s the future of biometric security. Bringing back Touch ID as a secondary, less secure option makes no sense at all.
We recommend taking Su’s predictions with a pinch of salt for now, then. We don’t expect Apple to unveil its new iPhone lineup until the fall, so there’s plenty of time for more leaks and rumors.
