How Biometrics Factor into the New iPhone SE

(image via Apple)

Today marked another Apple town hall event and with it came the long expected announcement of the iPhone SE. Billed as the most powerful four inch phone ever, the SE boasts the same processing power and graphical capabilities as an iPhone 6S, but in a more compact and affordable model. Set to ship next week on March 29, the eve of Apple’s 40th anniversary, the iPhone SE sports the biometric features that have helped popularize consumer-facing fingerprint sensors.

The iPhone SE features a Touch ID sensor on the home button, which was positioned during the keynote as a matter of security and convenience. Combined with the secure element and NFC features built into this tiny new iPhone, the fingerprint sensor enables SE users to use the Apple Pay mobile wallet.

Now available in five countries, having just recently launched in China to major success, Apple Pay allows iPhone users to make contactless credit card payments at retail points of sale, authenticating transactions with the scan of a fingerprint via Touch ID. The SE joins the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, and 6S Plus models in having this biometric mPayment capability.

Along with the iPhone SE, Apple used the opportunity of the town hall to launch its latest mobile operating system version, iOS 9.3. Among the latest iOS capabilities is a security feature on the Notes app that allows users to protect documents with a passcode or biometric fingerprint scan. This additional feature brings a new level of logical access control to the iPhone, enabling users to ensure they are making the most of Apple’s staunch pro-privacy stance.