While Touch ID is one of the iPhone 5s' most outstanding features, frequent use has brought to light a number of problems problems for the innovative security measure. Touch ID was first seen on a smartphone when Apple release the iPhone 5s in September. The tiny fingerprint scanner was developed from technology conceived by AuthenTec, a company known for mobile security solutions. When Apple bought Authentec for a total of $356 million back in 2012, Apple had everything they needed to bring Touch ID into fruition.
Touch ID utilizes a biometric sensor embedded in the iconic home button of the iPhone 5s. The sensor lies just under a thin layer of sapphire glass allowing the smartphone to recognize users whenever the home button is depressed with a finger. In addition to unlocking the device, Touch ID can also be used to purchase apps and songs from the App Store without the need to manually enter usernames and passwords.
However, iPhone owners have been reporting problems using Touch ID after just three months of constant use. According to technology blogger "Dr. Drang," "I've been using Touch ID since I got an iPhone 5s in mid-October. Generally speaking, I like it, and I find it faster than the old swipe-and-passcode method, but I've felt compelled to reteach it my fingerprints twice already. I know this sounds impossible, but its recognition of my prints seems to decay with time."
"I rescanned my fingers this weekend, and Touch ID has been amazingly fast and accurate since then. Just as it was when I first got the 5s, and just as it was a few weeks later when I rescanned my fingers for the first time. Just before each rescan, though, I was so frustrated with Touch ID I felt like throwing the phone across the room." Drang adds.
However, a poll ran by iMore indicated that the problem affected only a small number of iPhone 5s users and many of them said the problem can be avoided with caution and proper use. Users are advised to make sure that their fingers are free of oil, sweat and dirt before using Touch ID. In addition to this, ensuring proper contact between a user's finger and the sensor can also help prevent authentication errors.
