Glass-integrated fingerprint recognition makes buttonless iPhone possible

Foreign media Apple Insider reported last month that Apple may cancel the classic Home button design on the iPhone in the future. Although Apple is unlikely to launch an iPhone without a Home button before 2017, judging from the patents Apple has applied for, this is not impossible.

Of course, Apple has integrated Touch ID fingerprint recognition technology into the iPhone's Home button since the iPhone 5s , so before canceling the Home button, Apple needs to solve the Touch ID problem first. According to the latest report, a security technology company called Sonavation recently said that it has successfully achieved fingerprint recognition through glass, which to some extent has created technical conditions for Apple to cancel the Home button. Sonavation said that they implanted an ultrasonic fingerprint recognition sensor under the Corning Gorilla Glass and used 3D scanning technology to recognize fingerprints through the glass. It is also worth mentioning that Sonavation said that this technology is sufficient to ensure the accuracy of fingerprint recognition and will not be affected by moisture, dust and oil stains on the fingers.

Of course, before it can be applied to iPhones without a Home button, there are still some practical issues that need to be confirmed, such as whether the ultrasonic fingerprint recognition sensor is suitable for sapphire glass, and how to replace the original function of the Home button with other interaction methods.

In addition, Apple has also applied for some patents related to fingerprint recognition, including simultaneous recognition of fingerprints of multiple fingers, and management chips that integrate touch and display driver functions.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.