I'm gutted Apple's dropped my favorite iPhone feature, but it might return this year
Touch ID is the best hardware feature Apple’s introduced on iPhone
by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/john-mccann · TechRadarFeatures By John McCann published 4 April 2026
Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Become a Member in Seconds
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Join the club
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter
I still believe Touch ID is the best hardware feature Apple’s introduced on the iPhone, and compared to the Android implementations of the time, it was head and shoulders above the competition in 2013.
In the years since, we’ve seen Apple bring its fingerprint scanning technology to iPad and Mac. In fact, just a few weeks ago Apple delivered the excellent MacBook Neo, with the 512GB configuration offering Touch ID for easy, secure unlocking.
To borrow an iconic Steve Jobs phrase, it just works.
Article continues below
Yet, Apple has dropped Touch ID across its entire iPhone fleet, with Face ID the preferred biometric sensor of choice. All is not lost though, and rumors have me hopeful that we’ll see Touch ID make a return on at least one iPhone model in 2026.
From gimmick to game-changer
It’s fair to say there was some skepticism around Touch ID when Apple first unveiled it on the iPhone 5S, with some fans disappointed with its inclusion instead of features such as a larger screen or NFC.
Apple wasn’t the first to include a biometric scanner on a phone. Yet in 2013, fingerprint scanners weren’t prevalent among competitors, and those that had the feature either provided a cumbersome implementation that was difficult to use (hello HTC One Max), or failed to gain traction in the market (who remembers the Motorola Atrix?)
So Touch ID was in, something the iPhone 5S’ key competitors didn’t have. What the likes of the Galaxy S4 and HTC One did offer though were the larger screens and NFC connectivity some Apple fans were calling for.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors