Here’s an interesting patent. While hype and rumor has suggested that when Apple introduces a fingerprint sensor in the iPhone 5S, it’ll be placed under the home button, Apple’s actually patented something much different: technology that would allow an iPhone to detect your fingerprint just by pressing your finger against the screen.
This makes a lot of sense. Not only is it a more elegant place to put a fingerprint sensor — and Apple loves elegance — but it explains the redesigned iOS 7 lock screen, and the way ‘Slide to Unlock’ has been de-emphasized. We’ll see!
Source: Patently Apple
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
