Apple’s Touch ID Does Not Like Sweaty Fingers

Earlier today, we brought you a story that clarified on the Touch ID fingerprint storage details, and here we are with additional light shed on the situation by the folks over at Cupertino. So far, Apple did not reveal much about the new Touch ID fingerprint reader on the recently unveiled iPhone 5S, although we do know that third party developers will not be able to gain access to it, but some of Apple’s statements to the Wall Street Journal have revealed more about the Touch ID.

Touch ID works this way – whenever an iPhone 5S owner wants to unlock their device, all they need to do is swipe their finger over (it would be the thumb normally), whereas previous iPhone models required a passcode for the unlock to happen. It is also said that iPhone 5S owners are able to unlock with a passcode should they reboot or have not unlocked the device within 48 hours, and this particular safeguard will help prevent hackers from biding their time as they wait for a workaround. Not only that, it has been revealed that Touch ID does not like sweaty fingers – at all, so you might not want to try unlocking your iPhone 5S while you are pounding the treadmill. We do wonder whether in time, more real-world limitations concerning Touch ID will be revealed or discovered.

Edwin Kee
Categories: Cellphones
Tags: iPhone 5S, touch id