Touch ID Improved – But Not Redesigned – for New iPad

Apple has announced a new version of its flagship tablet device, and it features an upgraded Touch ID fingerprint scanning system.

The spotlight for the new iPad Pro is on its ProMotion, which enables a 120Hz refresh rate for its Retina display. A media release announcing the device also highlighted its 64-bit A10X Fusion processor and a more intuitive Apple Pencil with a latency of just 20 milliseconds.

As for Touch ID, Apple has proclaimed that it’s “more responsive”, and highlighted its use for unlocking the device and making purchases.

While that’s welcome, if vague, news, it offers no hints about how Touch ID will be integrated into Apple’s next flagship phone. There has been widespread speculation that Apple is trying to integrate it into the device’s display, while the approval of a patent this week generated some buzz about a potential power button integration, which would still open up more space for the iPhone’s display. But its placement on the new iPad remains within the home button, which is still situated below the screen on the front of the device.

Of course, the new iPad Pro is available now, while the iPhone is still months away, so Apple has time to make some dramatic changes with respect to its fingerprint scanning system.