Apple is reportedly working on a new lower-cost iPhone aimed at Chinese customers. This one is rumoured to ditch the new Face ID system that has adorned the iPhone X, XS and XS Max for an in-display fingerprint variant.
The Global Times reports:
The new phone will reportedly remove Face ID, the facial recognition system for the iPhone, and instead employ an under-display fingerprint function, news site caijing.com.cn reported, citing sources on the upstream industry supply chain. An industry insider revealed that this is likely to “save on costs.”
A structured light laser emitter, the major component of Face ID, would cost several hundred yuan, said a Beijing-based representative who preferred to be anonymous. He told the Global Times on Monday that “only Apple can afford it but that would also affect its sales.”
While Face ID is fast and secure, Chinese OEMs like Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo have driven prices down by adopting in-display fingerprint sensors on devices with premium features. While the iPhone XR is aimed at users who want current iPhones at low-prices, it competes price-wise with full-featured smartphones from Chinese OEMs, costing it sales with value-conscious customers.
Source: Global Times