The end of Touch ID on iPhone.

Maintaining Touch ID means that a completely bezel-less display design cannot be implemented. Photo: Apple .

Twelve years after its first appearance on the iPhone 5S, Touch ID will now no longer be available on any Apple iPhone model.

Touch ID was once a groundbreaking technology, similar to how the company introduced multi-touch screens on the first iPhone. Fast, accurate, and convenient, it has become the standard biometric security on iPhones and other Apple devices such as iPads and MacBooks.

Later, the company expanded Touch ID to other devices such as the basic iPad, iPad mini, and iPad Air in various shapes and sizes.

However, on iPhones, Touch ID has always been associated with a design that includes a screen bezel and a physical Home button. This has gradually become incompatible with Apple's "full-screen" philosophy. Even after experimenting with integrating the fingerprint sensor into the power button on the side (similar to the iPad Air and iPad mini), Apple never adopted this design for the iPhone.

Therefore, Apple's decision to remove Touch ID on the iPhone 16e can be seen as an inevitable step in the development process.

This change may prompt many iPhone SE users – the last iPhone to still use Touch ID – to consider upgrading to the iPhone 16e. With Face ID, users only need a glance to unlock their phone, instead of having to place their finger on the sensor as before.

Apple has spent years improving Face ID, making the technology more convenient. Users can unlock their iPhone even when lying on their side or with the device rotated horizontally. Face ID also supports recognition when wearing glasses or a mask.

There were previous rumors that Apple was testing an under-display Touch ID sensor, but the company ultimately abandoned the idea. If there is a technology that will appear on future iPhones, it will probably be Face ID hidden under the screen, not Touch ID, according to BGR .

With the iPhone 16e, Apple officially closed the era of traditional iPhone design. An iPhone with thick bezels and a Home button will never return.

In return, Apple announced that the iPhone 16e is the 6.1-inch iPhone with the best battery life ever. It also has a larger screen, integrates Apple Intelligence, and a more powerful processor. However, the price of this "budget" iPhone has increased by 40% compared to before.

According to Apple Vietnam's website, the iPhone 16e can be pre-ordered from February 28th and delivered from March 7th. The device starts at 17 million VND for the 128GB version and is only available in two color options: black and white.