It has been a few years since Apple introduced fingerprint sensors to its iPhones, prompting manufacturers around the world to follow suit. While Samsung has adopted the technology as well, the company is hoping to set a new standard with iris scanners which launched on its Galaxy Note 7 handset.
Ever since then, we have heard some rumors that iris scanning could eventually be a feature in future iPhones. In fact it would seem that there might be some truth to these claims because according to a report from AppleInsider, they were tipped by trademark attorney Brian Conroy who revealed that Apple had filed for a bunch of trademarks, one of which is for something called “Iris Engine”.
While we suppose technically it could be just for about anything, the rumors of an iris scanner and the timing of this trademark certainly seems too good to be mere coincidence. However it is possible that Apple might just be filing trademarks for a just-in-case like situation because according to the report, the trademarks are labeled as having a “six months seniority expires “date, meaning that should Apple choose not to use it, it will expire and be released.
Other interesting trademarks filed include “Smart Button”, “Touch Bar”, “Progress Card”, “Swift Lab”, “AirPod Case”, “Control Strip”, “Home Hub”, and more. Whether or not these are hints at future product features remains to be seen, but there are some trademarks that certainly sounds like they would fit the rumored MacBook Pro refresh later this year, but what do you guys think?