Recent iPhone 8 rumors have left the future of Touch ID unclear. Some indicate it will remain, but in a new position, while others warn that Apple plans to replace it with iris scanning and facial recognition.

These aren’t entirely new technologies; other manufacturers have been offering them for years with mixed results. But can Apple deliver a solution that’s simple, fast, and secure enough to replace the fingerprint scanner?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over whether the iPhone can bid farewell to Touch ID.

The positioning of Touch ID has changed yet again in the latest iPhone 8 leak.

A machined rear panel for Apple’s upcoming device suggests the company still has plans to put a fingerprint scanner on its back — as indicated by earlier leaks. But it won’t be a pain to reach like the Galaxy S8’s.

We’re all wondering where Apple will place Touch ID on the iPhone 8, with the physical Home button set to disappear in favor of a larger display. The latest report indicates it could be embedded in the handset’s power button on its right side.

Apple’s rumored decision to ditch Touch ID on the iPhone 8 may not be as rushed a decision as some rumors have claimed.

Facial recognition features could replace Touch ID on Apple’s premium handset this year and a new patent filing shows the company has been working on the technology behind it for over 3 years.

Apple will pack lasers into the iPhone 8 to deliver improved augmented reality and autofocus, according to a new report. One source says that the rear-facing sensor will provide better depth perception in ARKit apps, and sharper photos.

Shipping estimates for the iPhone 8 have been slashed by one firm amid concerns that the device could be delayed by up to a month.

Following a trip to Apple suppliers, Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts blamed delays on “technological issues” related to the handset’s fingerprint scanner and 3D facial recognition sensors.

Some of the iPhone 8’s biggest new features could be disabled when the handset makes its debut this September.

A new report claims Apple is struggling to iron out software issues that are rendering wireless charging and another major feature unusable for now.

An image which has shown up on the Chinese microblogging service Weibo depicts what is claimed to be an authentic backplate for the iPhone 8 — complete with missing rear-mounted Touch ID sensor.

Earlier this year, reports circulated that Apple was considering moving the Touch ID sensor to the rear of its next-gen iPhone, much as Android device makers have been doing. Provided that this image is authentic, it suggests that this is not the case.

It’s easy to ignore how intuitive it is to use an iPhone. But a team of designers painstakingly crafted the vast array of simple swipes and taps that give the iPhone its magic.

This week on The CultCast, we’ll tell you the stories behind inertial scrolling and Swipe to Unlock. And we’ll talk about Bas Ording, the man who brought iOS to life using the physics of our natural world.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10 percent off any hosting plan.

The iPhone 8 might ditch Touch ID for 3-D facial scanning that could prove faster, easier and more secure than the fingerprint reader currently used for logins and payments.

The new security system, if perfected in time for the upcoming iPhone 8, also could help Apple get around a possible bottleneck in the production process.