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All future iOS devices to carry new, improved Touch ID

by Luke Dormehl

Luke Dormehl (2:13 am PDT, May 27th)

If you’ve previously felt left out by the lack of Touch ID on non-iPhone 5s devices, have no fear: according to well-resepected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo the fingerprint sensor will be featured as a standard in all new Apple devices– including the iPhone 6, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3.

In a research note, Kuo claims that:

Apple’s Touch ID module should see shipments soar 233% in 2014. We believe every new iOS device launched this year will be equipped with Touch ID, including 4.7” and 5.5” new iPhone 6, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2 with Retina display. Considering shipments of new products and iPhone 5S sales last longer than in 2013, we forecast unit sales of the fingerprint sensor module to grow 233% to 120mn for 2014.

But that’s not all.

In the same research note, Kuo says that Apple will change its Touch ID module design to utilize tin instead of previously used chemicals as a way of enhancing durability. Apple won’t change manufacturers though: it is expected to stick with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and its subsidary XinTec to produce all fingerprint sensors.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard similar reports about future iOS devices. Previous rumors suggested that TSMC provided its first batch of fingerprint sensors to Apple in mid-April – designed for the iPhone 6, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3.

Photos which showed up in Novemberadditionally showed a (potentially spurious) third-generation iPad mini prototype with Touch ID rattling around Asia. More recently a fragment of code from iOS 7.1 suggested the same thing could be true.

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