The use of biometrics has become a hot headline in the last few weeks. From an Indian company that wants to add fingerprint scanners to ATMs and point of sale systems to a company that plans to create a way to make payments with facial recognition software. The latest report is that Apple could be getting in on the act.
According to a report from the Telegraph, some developers have discovered a secret hidden in the source code of iOS 7, the latest mobile operating system for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, which is currently still in the beta testing phase. The code revealed a fingerprint that changes color during the setup process.
Clearly, there is no telling what that could mean, but it has sparked many bloggers to speculate that it is related to fingerprint scanning technology being added to the hardware of the newest line of mobile devices. Most believe that biometric scanning functionality could replace the slider as the way to unlock the device or it could be part of an additional security measure. It is also possible that some new applications could be created that would take advantage of the technology.
This would go along with Apple's purchase of AuthenTec last year for $356 million. The company had created several mobile and network security systems, including those that use biometric scanning.
We should be able to put this rumor to bed in a few months when Apple has its normal September mobile device press event. Until then, companies should partner with an IT consulting firm that can lay a plan in place to successfully deploy the latest devices when they hit the market.
