A new investor letter published today by analysts at Barclays Research says that the iPhone 13 models coming later this year are likely to have “Touch ID support under the screen. The report also confirms other details about the iPhone 13, including that the devices have a smaller notch.
Most interestingly, analysts say the iPhone 13 will offer on-screen Touch ID support, citing ‘extensive industry talk’. It occurs when both Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal reported that Touch ID on the screen is something to test the iPhone 13.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in an investor note earlier this month that there is “no visibility on the current schedule for the iPhone” to adopt the Touch ID on the screen this year.
Barclays analysts believe the iPhone 13 will add ‘fingerprint-under-glass’ this year as the ‘security feature of the future’. Barclays analysts write (via MacRumors):
For the 2H22 production cycle, we expect an architectural shift from structured light to flight time, enabling an even smaller footprint. Based on our industry discussions, we do not think that structured light under the screen is likely to be ready for mass deployment in 2H22. We also consider the adoption of fingerprint-under-glass, likely to be added in the 2H21 iPhones, as a structural headwind for additional 3D sensing content at Apple and may be the security feature of the future.
Elsewhere in the investor note, Barclays Research predicts that the iPhone 13 notch will be smaller this year thanks to changes to the design of the structured lighting system. The new design will be “more tightly integrated”, similar to what was also reported by Macotakara. The rear LiDAR scanner will likely remain exclusive to the “Pro” models this year as well.
Finally, the Barclays Research report bothers that Apple is planning a “bigger shift” for the design of the notch in 2022. This comes after Kuo reported that the iPhone 14 Pro models of 2022 will have the notch completely demolished in favor of a hole design. similar to that used by some Android flagships.
The exact brand of the iPhone 2021 remains unclear. Internally, Apple has reportedly referred to an ‘S’ year in terms of the updates, but Apple’s marketing names are regularly monitored until announced.
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