14 DAY TRIAL // A Branch conversation among tech pundits was kicked off yesterday after the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple’s next iPhone was entering production in Q2 2013. Numerous interesting tidbits emerged.
As John Gruber had just dropped the bombshell that iOS 7 was getting delayed, TechCrunch columnist MG Siegler (known to have some reliable connections himself) said, “Since we're talking whispers, the one thing I've heard multiple times now is about some sort of biometric scanner on the new iPhone.”
Apple is known to have purchased a company that specializes in the field called AuthenTec.
Siegler’s sources indicated that “it could be a big part of not only authentication, but payments of some sort (maybe even through Passbook) down the road.”
He also notes that Apple could charge a licensing fee from developers looking to leverage / capitalize on the new feature.