A patent filed back in the past by Apple reveals a design for what is currently called the under-glass ultrasonic fingerprint scanner in the Mi 5S. The patent published by the Patent and Trademark Office in September 2014 is for an electrostatic lens capacitive fingerprint sensor.
The new sensor is expected to debut in the iPhone 8 scheduled to launch next year. Apple, this year decided to remove the press functionality of their home button from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Sources say the decision is a part of a larger plan to completely phase out the home button and instead replace it with a virtual one which will still double as a fingerprint scanner. To achieve that, they will have to use a sensor that can be placed under the front glass like we have in the Xiaomi Mi 5S.
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While people have mixed feelings about the new home button, there’s a chance there will be outrage if the button is completely ditched in favor of a capacitive one. There is still a year’s wait to see what Apple finally decides, so fans need not get sad over this.
(source)
