Despite reports to the contrary, Touch ID fingerprint authentication won’t be returning to Apple’s iPhone 16 lineup.
Apple’s plans were revealed by a Weibo expert with a track record of sharing information. Their new post explained that most of the equipment initially used to manufacture Touch ID chips has now been permanently shut down. The only remaining units are now used for the third-generation iPhone SE, suggesting that Apple has no immediate plans to restore Touch ID as a method of authentication for the iPhone. Apple’s fingerprint scanning technology is also not expected to return for the iPhone 16 lineup, according to trustworthy rumors.
There are reports that the fourth-generation iPhone SE will feature Face ID, replacing the last iPhone with Touch ID. The company is ostensibly planning to move Face ID under the display of its devices around 2026, as well as under-display fingerprint technology.
The Weibo source reported first that the iPhone 14 would retain its A15 Bionic processor and the iPhone 14 Pro would feature an A16 chip. In order to reduce production costs, Apple has recently announced that the A17 Pro chip for the iPhone 15 Pro will be replaced with a different manufacturing process in the upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus.
