Apple Offers More Details on the iPhone 5s Touch ID Fingerprint Scanner

POST

MAIL

Posted September 11, 2013 at 11:39pm by iClarified

Apple has offered more details on the Touch ID fingerprint scanner that is embedded into the iPhone 5s Home button, reports the WSJ.

The scanner will not store images of your fingerprint on the iPhone; rather, data points are encrypted and stored within the iPhone's A7 processor. The phone then uses the digital signature to unlock itself or make iTunes purchases.

An Apple spokesman pointed to other security features the company has added to the phone. Apple customers who wish the use Touch ID also have to create a passcode as a backup. Only that passcode (not a finger) can unlock the phone if the phone is rebooted or hasn’t been unlocked for 48 hours. This feature is meant to block hackers from stalling for time as they try to find a way to circumvent the fingerprint scanner. Moreover, Apple says its Touch ID sensor is an improvement from the temperamental fingerprint scanners that often appear on consumer laptops.

Apple did note that its scanner is not perfect and may not work with moisture-laden fingers covered in sweat, lotion or other liquids. However, Touch ID is capable of 360-degree readability. Meaning, no matter which way you touch the Home button it will be able to read your fingerprint. You can also enroll multiple fingerprints so that the iPhone will recognize people you trust.

You can learn more from the video below or by watching Apple's introductory video.

Apple Offers More Details on the iPhone 5s Touch ID Fingerprint Scanner

Follow iClarified

Trollspray - September 13, 2013 at 5:09pm

if you work in the health field or government, your fingerprint should've already been scanned and stored by whomever(livescan). so whats the big deal? if you don't like fingerprint feature, guess what - (surprise) you don't have to use it!

Reply · Like

JoshvanHulst - September 13, 2013 at 7:09pm

So do you know how to disable the fingerprint feature?

JoshvanHulst - September 13, 2013 at 11:59am

I definitely do not want my fingerprints stored on any bio-metrics reader or device. No way!! We all have to say no to this and tell Apple and other vendors that we do not want this with out $$$

Jason Pletcher - September 13, 2013 at 1:54pm

If you're blind enough to believe that that your fingerprints aren't on a file somewhere I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell ya. Most hospitals require it when babies are born, some states require it for you to obtain a drivers license, and some banks require it to cash a paycheck. Not to mention that Apple has already said that what is stored on the chip isn't an actual scan of your fingerprint but data that makes your fingerprint unique. The way I understood it is that it creates recognizable points that in turn create points and the distance those points are away from each other create a unique map if you will. Not to mention it's only stored on the chip accessible only by the sensor. So we can all take off our tin foil hats, stop doing bug sweeps of our house, and crawl out of our doomsday bunkers.

Bill - September 13, 2013 at 6:34am

REALLY? My fingerprint is not stored on the cloud? Try BACKING UP YOUR IPHONE 5S and see if your fingerprint is ported to the new device. Look in iOS software a little better.

iDontCare - September 13, 2013 at 1:07am

Hahahaha that's funny. iPhone 6c will have a pregnancy test capability as well.. just pee on it and voila :D

Elio224 - September 13, 2013 at 1:03am

Why is everyone so paranoid all of a sudden? lol laptops integrated fingerprint scanners in them a while ago yet people did not make such a big fuss about it. All the things you touch in your everyday is traceable back to you. if the NSA wants your prints.. they will get it. If you havent done anything illegal you shouldnt care. Embrace the technology! fingerprint in iphone for unlock is awesome, time saving and more secure. no more snooping around in your phone if you are not around. Deal with it people... Oh and for those who want a bigger screen phone, you are in luck because samsung has that go buy one. Thank you :)

Tara - September 13, 2013 at 5:35pm

You know the truth and explained it well. I will never give my finger print without a court order. Thanks

Mr. Mister - September 12, 2013 at 5:35pm

Everyone concerned with the whole security/NSA thing are terribly out of the loop. Please look up the PATRIOT Act. This has been going on for almost 12 years now. Just because Edward Snowden released the info this year, does not mean it is anything new. You can thank good ol' W. for your loss of privacy.

jahmed80 - September 12, 2013 at 1:57pm

now every1 is concern about the security. if NSA wants they can collect fingerprints from ATM, computer keyboard or from any internet device... iphone 5s will do it all including where were u walking, running, driving how fast and what time... its batter u dont use it or on the other hand, if you dont do anything wrong u dont have be afraid...

Focus - September 12, 2013 at 9:42am

Well said Jason.

Trucker - September 12, 2013 at 6:00pm

You nailed bro

lepaka - September 12, 2013 at 6:53am

i just guess that i live in paradise in Germany, until now and after 46 Years no one ask my figerprints, besides the ID card registration. and besides the country where i live, i already visited other countries such as, France, Belgium, Holland, Switzland, Luxanburg, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Monaco, Austria, Czech, Hungary, Finland, Denmark, Marocco, Tunisia, Emirates, Brazil, Argentina, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, maybe some other which i cannot momentally recall, but until now no fingerprints where asked. even a company where i worked in the beginning of the 2k years, they wanted to implement and in-out going control with fingerprints scanners, which fails due to the massive denial from the workers to accept that kind of systems. Sorry US guys, I don’t have anything against you, on the contrary, but you will never get my fingerprints in your databases.

lepaka - September 12, 2013 at 6:56am

even if i buy a iPhone 5s, which i will not, but maybe a 6 or 6s, i will never activate that function, is just useless for me.

odedoo1 - September 13, 2013 at 3:36am

that's the reason I left the U.S or one of the reasons, don't get me wrong I do miss LA but I love freedom too much and in America the land of the free it's no longer that way and by the way I also traveled all over the world and you have a beautiful country very green.

Europe - September 12, 2013 at 6:05am

I do not understand your concerns, every time i'm flying to US, border control takes my fingerprints my face foto and everything, does anyonce concern about this, where those are stored? Ha? At least i didn't do it because i wanted to do, but because they told me I have to. So no I do not understand why everyone is complaining, and going crazy. Even my goverment don't have my fingerprints untill I brake the law. But in US they have it, why? If NSA wants your personal data they will have it. Welcome to the "Internet of things". Apple just get little bit closer, but i guess google as a big brother # 1 will catch them really soon.

odedoo1 - September 13, 2013 at 3:41am

Well you are not an American so you have nothing to worry about but right now for Americans to travel over seas is not really safe.

MUKAI - September 12, 2013 at 5:40am

This bores me.. Fuck the 5S just gonna wait for the better thing which is the 6.

odedoo1 - September 12, 2013 at 1:31am

Samsung also announced that they are working on a finger print I'D for their devices so you know the government asked for it and the thing is that we are using a touch screen which will make it easy to lift your finger print from and use it to get in if you know what you are doing, the only good thing about the 5S is that they didn't make the screen bigger but Apple will follow the rest with the iPhone 6 which is coming really soon and from what I hear it will have a screen as large as the galaxy 4S, I can only hope that they will come with both on sizes with the 6th if not then the 5S probably will be my last iPhone and the problem with the 64bit chip on the 5S will not be used with it's full potential there is not enough RAM and ROM plus all Apps are made to run on a 32 bit devices and they have no reason to change that because they want their Apps to work on all devices so Apple did what Samsung have been doing using gimmicks to sell their new device, the only good change I noticed is on iOS 7 find my phone, if u want to turn it off you need to use your password or a fingerprint and if you can't turn of find my iPhone you also can't restore the phone so if your phone will get stollen it will be for parts only which in time the thieves will realize that stilling iPhones and probably the next generations of iPads is not worth it and the epidemic will subside.

bobdupa - September 12, 2013 at 1:30am

you mean when they cut your finger you wont give password? tough guy !

icla - September 12, 2013 at 8:37am

The thing about the sensor used on the 5s, dead fingers won't work.

Tara - September 12, 2013 at 1:28am

After a few month you will hear that NSA has finger prints of apple customer with their account info and will know where you have been. Very scary. I will never give my finger print to anybody unless fully required by law. A few years ago these companies (google, apple, AT&T and others were saying your personal info is secure then we all know it was sold to NSA. PLEASE DO NOT FALL FOR THIS AND REGRET LATER.

fackyo - September 12, 2013 at 1:02am

I think thats a stupid idea. I personally hate passwords for anything. It takes longer.I assume if I loose my iphone5 or any Apple devices I will never see them again. I wish they offer open jailbreak instead. I believe people are going to be scared away ,for the security reasons. They should've made the screen bigger insteado fthis stupid a scanner..who f**cking cares!!!

odedoo1 - September 12, 2013 at 1:38am

you want a bigger screen get a galaxy the iPhone 5 screen is the perfect size for a phone!! Want to stay with Apple? get an iPad!!!

t11chb - September 12, 2013 at 12:35am

They say it's not stored, but you wait and see, what better way for the NSA to get millions of fingerprints.

53bd027 - September 11, 2013 at 11:49pm

You need to find a life

Abdul Azeez - September 12, 2013 at 2:29am

Is this a feature of iPhone5s r ios7?

odedoo1 - September 13, 2013 at 3:46am

No it's not on the iPhone 5 only on the 5S no netter what iOS.