Fingerprint sensor could be causing delay in iPhone 5S production

The next iPhone was set to be released this June, though it’s possible the device’s anticipated fingerprint sensor is causing a delay and will push that date deeper into the calendar year.

According to a report in Reuters, a supply chain source in Taiwan said Apple had been trying to find a coating material that did not interfere with the fingerprint sensor, and that this effort could be holding up the entire process.

It’s been widely expected that Apple will release two new phones: one that will likely be called the 5S with a fingerprint sensor, and a cheaper model that will likely be made of a different material and probably won’t include the rumored fingerprint sensor.

It’s important to remember that this is all speculation, and that nothing has been confirmed. This is only a representation of the most prevalent theories on iPhone development today. Many Apple rumours have proven themselves to be completely wrong before.

As we reported in March, leaked photos purporting to show components from the new iPhone cast doubt on a fingerprint sensor embedded in the device’s home button.

Apple’s possible fingerprint sensor worries aren’t the only thing keeping executives up all night, either. Last Thursday, the company’s stocks hit a 52-week low of $392 – a far cry from its peak of $702 in September, only 8 months ago.

There have also been reports that Apple returned as many as eight million iPhones to its manufacturing partner Foxconn, due to defects in either appearance or operation. It’s anticipated this could cost Foxconn over $250 million to fix this issue. 

We’ve written extensively about smartphone biometrics, and as the Biometrics Research Group argues, it’s likely the next round of smartphones will incorporate biometrics to some degree, and its expected that this integration will be driven by major manufacturers.

Article Topics

Apple  |  fingerprint