The Apple iPhone event just concluded. Everything that was announced at the event had been leaked or written about beforehand, including:
- The cheaper iPhone 5C in 5 colors
- The gold iPhone 5S
- The faster 5S processor
- iTunes Radio
- The biometric fingerprint sensor that unlocks the phone (“Touch ID”)
However that last item, the “Touch ID” fingerprint sensor, was the stand-out announcement in my view. It will enable users to both unlock their phones and confirm iTunes purchases instead of entering a password:
Put your finger on the Home button, and just like that your iPhone unlocks. Your fingerprint can also approve purchases from iTunes or the App Store.
What I mean by the headline is that Touch ID is to the 5S what Siri was to the 4S: a kind of “wow” feature that helps it stand out from other smartphones. It partly compensates for the fact that Apple didn’t introduce a larger screen, which everyone now wants. That’s coming with the iPhone 6.