Since the iPhone X in 2017, Apple's flagship smartphones have not used a fingerprint reader. Sure, Touch ID is still available on the lower-priced iPhone SE, but this is an older design; Face ID has become Apple's default authentication method.

However, according to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple will revisit Touch ID in the iPhone 13 now that it is possible to include a fingerprint scanner without adding a frame or incorporating an extra bump on the back. According to the report, Apple will follow the path paved by Android devices and add an in-screen fingerprint reader to the iPhone 13.

Early in-screen fingerprint readers were often unstable, but the technology is mature enough to rival regular scanners, and Bloomberg's sources say it may be faster than Face ID for some users.Face ID is still on the iPhone 13 onboard (apparently in a smaller footprint) and will not only maintain various augmented reality and selfie features, but will also offer two ways to prove identity.

Why now? Well, not only does Apple tend to adopt new technology in its phones when it is mature enough to work hassle-free (there's a reason we haven't seen the long-rumored iPhone flip yet), but the time is definitely right for the return of fingerprints. 2020, Contrary to expectations, face masks have been adopted in large numbers around the world and facial recognition software has had trouble identifying people with mouth and nose covered; while the early signs for living with coronavirus in 2021 appear to be good (through vaccination and palliative treatment), we are still a while away from may need some kind of face covering, especially during the cold winter months.

Elsewhere, reports have stated that the iPhone 13 is likely to be an iterative update, with engineers apparently seeing it as an "S" version of the phone, so don't expect major changes from the iPhone 12. That said, we previously, heard that the iPhone 13 will be slightly thicker, and we expect that that, combined with Apple's new battery technology that allows for thinner cells, will solve the iPhone 12's poor battery life in the new version.

Speaking of batteries, Bloomberg also addressed the rumor that at least one iPhone 13 model will be portless. However, no confirmation has been obtained in any case.

We are still some way from the advent of the iPhone 13, with the company apparently returning to its usual September schedule this year. However, rumor has it that a new iPhone SE model could appear before then, so keep an eye out for that.