Per the outlet, Apple is considering optical in-display fingerprint readers, which were earlier thought to be inferior to the ultrasonic variety that Samsung uses. In practice, they have proven to be more reliable than Qualcomm’s first-generation 3D Sonic Sensor. The chipmaker has since introduced a new iteration, which is a marked improvement, thanks to a bigger surface area, faster speed, and higher accuracy. The Galaxy S21 series features the new scanner.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that iPhone 12S’ in-display Touch ID will be slower or less reliable as people with knowledge of the matter said that ‘whatever solution Apple went with, it would have to meet the security standards of its current Touch ID, which is still used on the iPhone SE, the iPad and MacBooks’.
Face ID will supposedly stay as it has applications beyond facial recognition (photography and augmented reality).
The WSJ article also highlights some other likely iPhone 12S features that are already there on the Galaxy S21. The higher-end models are expected to support a refresh rate of 120Hz. Word is that Apple will use Samsung’s adaptive LTPO OLED tech to address battery drain and performance issues that are associated with a high refresh rate.
The Pro models are also tipped to feature a “folded” periscope camera for better optical zoom capabilities, 10x to be exact. For reference, the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max offer 2x and 2.5x optical zoom, respectively.
In some areas, the iPhone 12S could outshine Samsung’s new phones. For instance, a recent report suggests that we may see 1TB variants of the new iPhones. According to an earlier report, Apple is also considering removing the charging port for some new models, which means they will only support wireless charging.
