We heard a rumor earlier this month that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) was having problems with the fingerprint sensor in the iPhone 5S, and now there’s a clue in iOS 7 beta 4 which suggests that the device will indeed have a fingerprint sensor.
A clue spotted in Apple’s new iOS 7
Today the fourth update for the iOS 7 beta was released to developers, and Hamza Sood, an iOS developer, noted a very interesting folder name in the latest file. 9to5Mac’s reports that the developer noted a file called “BiometricKitUI.” It certainly sounds like this file is for the user interface for the biometric fingerprint scanner.
There’s a description of the user interface provided in the file. It indicates a “Photo of a person holding an iPhone with their right hand while touching the Home button with their thumb.” The next line indicates that there is “A fingerprint that changes colour during the setup process.”
Fingerprint UI for the iPhone 5S is complete
Sources apparently told 9to5Mac that the user interface for the fingerprint scanner that will be included in the iPhone 5S is now finished. The source also said that the technology is used in a way that enables users to unlock their phone. At this point it is not clear whether Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) will also make the fingerprint usable for some sort of payment system as some have suggested in the past.
Will Apple release an iPhone with a bigger screen?
At this point it sounds like Apple fans who have their hearts set on an iPhone with a significantly bigger screen are out of luck. There was a rumor earlier this month indicating that a 4.3-inch screen was causing problems for the iPhone 6 or 5S, but a report today indicated that it’s highly unlikely we will see a 5-inch or bigger device from Apple any time from now until early next year.
