iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 to Feature NFC and Fingerprint Sensor
The iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 could end up featuring NFC and a Fingerprint sensor when the devices are released.
China Times is reporting that the Taiwanese chip manufacturer known as Chipbond is now being employed by Apple to provide a number of components for the iPhone 5S, including a touch display driver and chips that will support the fingerprint sensor and near-field-communications capabilities.
The report states that Apple will use this fingerprint sensor functionality to enhance the security of NFC features such as mobile payments.
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KGI-Securities Ming-Chi-Kuo also predicted that Apple will have a fingerprint sensor in the iPhone 5S which it is released later this year.
He also outlined what he thinks the main differences will be between the iPhone 5 and 5S. The new version will run on the faster A7 application processor, will feature a camera equipped with Smart Flash, will come with a fingerprint chip under the Home button, will have a plastic and fiberglass frame making it lighter and slimmer, and will come in more than two colors.
Kuo is pretty accurate when it comes to making Apple predictions, so this information could be close to correct.
A photo displaying the new A7 chip rumored for the next generation iPhone was leaked last month by iOSDoc, who also reported that this A7 chip will be a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, outdoing the tri-core chip found on the iPhone 5. It will also have 2GB RAM and a new version of iOS.
Apple is also rumored to be releasing an iPhone with a bigger screen in 2013, which could end up being the iPhone 6. However, the company has not confirmed anything at this time. Apple normally releases iPhones between June and October.
