Apple supplier makes first delivery of fingerprint sensors for iPhone 6

By Christian Brazil Bautista May 7, 2014

iPhone 5S hands on fingerprint scanner — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has reportedly started the delivery of fingerprint sensors for the upcoming iPhone 6, iPad Air 2, and the third generation iPad Mini. According to Chinese component website cecb2b.com, the company has made the first batch of deliveries of the fingerprint sensors, fulfilling its obligations using the same 8-inch fab processing method that was also used for the iPhone 5S.

Fabs pertain to semiconductor fabrication plants, which produce thin slices of semiconductor material called wafers. The higher the diameter of wafers, the better the production efficiency of the plants. In January, a report from DigiTimes said that the company was planning on transitioning to a bigger 12-inch fab. However, this report has proven to be inaccurate.

The news came through a source in Suzhou Jing Fang Semiconductors, a Shanghai-listed manufacturer that has been tapped for the assembly process.

Aside from producing fingerprint sensors for Apple, TSMC is also responsible for the A8 mobile processor for the iPhone 6. According to a report from Taiwanese newspaper Commercial Times last March, the company displaced Samsung as the sole supplier for Apple’s next generation mobile devices chip. Samsung supplied all of Apple’s previous processor chips starting with the A4, which appeared in the original iPad (2010). Later, a ZDNet Korea report contradicted the Commercial Times’ claims, saying that Apple will be using chips from both companies. Samsung was also said to be at the final testing phase before commencing production of the chips.

The TouchID feature first appeared in the iPhone 5S. A hacker group recently showed that the biometric security function can be tricked with a “fake finger.” In spite of the risks, which, according to our findings, are negligible, the feature will soon be making its first appearance in Apple’s iPad line.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Christian Brazil Bautista

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Christian Brazil Bautista is an experienced journalist who has been writing about technology and music for the past decade…

Mobile

Best iPhone 14 deals: Unlocked and refurbished

The Apple iPhone 14 Pro's camera module

Some of the best Apple deals and best iPhone deals come from the iPhone 14 lineup. While it has been around a couple of years now, the iPhone 14 is still only one generation old as iPhone releases go. This means it still has a lot to offer, including much of what can be found in the newer iPhone 15, but it will often see some impressive price drops. Many of the best iPhone 14 deals we’re seeing right now are on refurbished models, but both new and refurbished models are out there, and each makes for some of the best phone deals going on at the moment. You’ll find all of the information you need to save on an iPhone 14 below, but if you’d like to land yourself the latest and greatest you should also check out the current iPhone 15 deals, Samsung Galaxy S24 deals, and Google Pixel 8 deals.
Apple iPhone 14 -- from $491, was $699

With the Apple iPhone 14 you’re getting what is still one of the most popular smartphones on the market. This is the iPhone 14 model that’s meant for everyone. It holds back a few features you can only get on the Pro model, but it still has an impressive 6.1-inch display, an impressive camera, and dozens of ways to personalize your iOS experience with widgets and fonts. The phone can reach up to 26 hours of battery life on a single charge, and it’s powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip. Face ID, emergency SOS via satellite, and super fast 5G cellular connectivity round out the top features of the Apple iPhone 14.
Buy Refurbished at Amazon — from $491

Mobile

Here’s how iOS 18 could change the way you use your iPhone

The lock screen on the Apple iPhone 15 Plus.

It seems the long-overdue Siri overhaul will finally arrive at WWDC in just over a week from now, and the digital assistant will embrace AI trickery in all its forms. According to Bloomberg, Apple’s planned upgrades for Siri will deeply integrate with on-device functions at the OS level and with the installed apps, too.

“The new system will allow Siri to take command of all the features within apps for the first time,” the report says. The most notable capability is that Siri will only require voice prompts to interact with apps, thanks to a major change in the AI architecture powering it and putting large language models in command, just the way Gemini or ChatGPT draw their own skills from such models.

Mobile

iOS 18 may give Siri the upgrade we’ve been waiting for

Hey Siri

Apple isn’t immune from the AI craze sweeping the rest of the industry. Following the likes of Google with Gemini Nano, Apple is set to roll out AI upgrades to the iPhone with iOS 18. Code-named “Project Graymatter,” the iOS 18 update will bring a variety of AI-powered enhancements to the iPhone and Siri in particular.

According to AppleInsider, the features are being tested in advance of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), and one of the biggest is called “Graymatter Catch Up.” The feature is tied to Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, which will now allow users to request and receive an AI overview of the most recent notifications.