Yet another clue of a fingerprint sensor being included on the flagship iPhone 5S that is widely believed to be introduced by Tim Cook and company next month has emerged. This time, a leaked image of what is believed to be the flex cable for the home button gives us clue that the fingerprint sensor will be included. Moving from the flex cable of the current generation iPhone 5, the longer flex cable purportedly coming from the iPhone 5S is said to be used for carrying data.
The leaked image comes from iPhone repair specialists meandmyi.com and were reported on uSwitch. News of the flex cable design change comes just days after we’ve seen another component change that gives more credibility to a fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S. iOS 7 beta 4 code also gave hints to a fingerprint sensor.
Despite our postulation that the fingerprint sensor may be added to guard iTunes accounts and make it easier, yet more secure, for users to authorize iTunes transactions for purchases of music, movies, TV shows, e-books, apps, and magazines, most recently an analyst predicted that the sensor’s initial use may be just for unlocking the iPhone quickly.
Most recently, we’ve heard that the home button design itself has changed from the iPhone 5 to the iPhone 5S. Rather than a button that dimples inwards, the home button on the iPhone 5S will curve outwards with the extra internal space gained due to the outward curvature used to accommodate the fingerprint sensor.
Additionally, rather than a plastic button that’s been a feature since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, the iPhone 5S will have a home button that will be made of sapphire glass. Sapphire glass is more resistant to scratches, and the use of the material will be made to protect the fingerprint sensor underneath.
It’s unclear why Apple isn’t using the same strengthened glass as the rest of the iPhone’s front display. Though Apple had never explicitly stated that it uses Corning’s Gorilla-branded Glass, it’s widely believed that Gorilla Glass is a feature of the iPhone since the iPhone 4′s debut. Corning had recently promoted its Gorilla Glass to be tougher than sapphire glass and more economical to use.
Still, this isn’t the first time that sapphire glass has appeared on the iPhone. On the iPhone 5, sapphire glass was used to protect the camera on the lens cover.
The iPhone 5S is believed to be introduced on September 10, though retail availability may not happen until the end of October by some estimates.
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