For iPhones and Macs? Apple patents display with integrated Touch and Face ID
Apple’s Phil Schiller presented the iPhone X with Face ID in 2017. (Photo dpa)
Apple has patented a screen that would integrate a combination of Touch ID and Face ID in future iPhones or Macs. A similar patent application was recently made public.
It has long been speculated that Apple will combine Touch ID and Face ID and integrate them into the display of an upcoming iPhone. The rumor mill is currently boiling again, because the US patent authority (USPTO) has approved two patent applications from Apple in the past few days that deal with this issue. In addition, the usually well-informed Bloomberg journalist has Mark Gurman reportsthat Apple is currently working to bring Face ID to Macs, iPads and cheaper iPhones in the coming years.
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True depth camera too thick for Macbook displays
Up to now, the true depth camera required for Face ID was considered too thick for use in the narrow displays of the devices, especially for Macbooks. When it comes to fingerprint scanners, some smartphone manufacturers have already installed them behind the screen of their devices. However, the results were not entirely convincing. Apple, which already has several patents for the fingerprint sensor, apparently wants to go one step further.
A few days ago published patent application “Through-display optical transmission, reception, or sensing through micro-optic elements” describes Apple, how visible light and other electromagnetic waves could get through the display to the sensors behind it. That is supposed to be how it is at mactechnews.de is called, through numerous translucent openings in the panel. The human eye should not be able to perceive these tiny openings, so the image quality should not be impaired. As a result, the entire display could be used for Face ID and Touch ID.
Apple: Sensor for image recognition in the display
Another one Apple patent (“Electronic device display for through-display imaging”) published the USPTO last week. It is about a sensor that is integrated directly into the screen. Thanks to built-in image capture, the screen should be able to read fingerprints. In order to be able to use the sensor for face recognition, Apple would have to install additional components such as an infrared projector, such as heise.de notes. Such a sensor would then also enable Face ID in Macbook displays.
