Apple customers are seemingly always on the lookout for the next big thing when it comes to new products. That may not be quite true for the iPhone 13, though.
According to a survey by SellCell.com, the feature most Apple customers look forward to is actually the return of Touch ID, the fingerprint sensor Apple has been phasing out in favor of Face ID.
Touch ID debuted on the iPhone 5s in 2013, and subsequently made its way to the iPad and Mac. Apple began to phase out the biometric tech in 2017 with the iPhone X. That device’s facial recognition meant customers did not need to physically touch their phones in order to unlock them or authenticate their identities.
Perhaps the bigger reason for replacing Touch ID, however, was so Apple could get rid of the Home button and embrace an edge-to-edge display.
This year, rumors indicate Apple will bring back Touch ID — but without a dedicated button. The feature reportedly will be built into the iPhone display. It won’t replace Face ID, either. Instead, Touch ID will serve as an alternative for scenarios like unlocking your iPhone while wearing a mask. It also presumably could be used as an added layer of security, requiring both face and fingerprint to unlock certain features.
Photo: SoftCell
According to SellCell.com, of the 3,000 customers it interviewed, 21% listed the return of Touch ID as the feature they’re most hankering after. Here were the other results:
Return of Touch ID – 21%
Higher refresh rate display (120Hz) – 17%
Smaller notch/notch-less design – 15%
Return of in-box charger – 12%
Bigger battery – 11%
Better camera features – 8.2%
Faster processor – 6.8%
Compact phone – 5%
Better waterproofing – 2.2%
Foldable design – 1%
Removal of Lightning port – 0.8%
It’s important to note, of course, that this is a relatively small sample size. However, it’s nonetheless interesting that Touch ID comes in a few percentage points over the next-most-anticipated feature, a ProMotion display. At the other end of the spectrum, very few people seem excited about a possible folding iPhone. But that may be because few people are expecting it for this year’s refresh.
Are you excited about the return of Touch ID? Which features would sell you on this year’s iPhone? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
