Apple's fingerprint scanner may be the biggest leap in payments since the C-Card • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple's fingerprint scanner may be the biggest leap in payments since the C-Card

#61

Post by swamp40 » Wed, Sep 11, 2013, 2:56 AM UTC

adamb_ wrote: post #51

Keep in mind this fingerprint scanner is only shipping on ONE of the two devices announced today. For this to be the payments/security game-changer the OP is suggesting, it has to be widely available to the public, which Apple opted out of by not including it on the "value" iPhone 5c. Until every mobile device Apple ships has this built in, I think this falls a bit more in the category of a novelty... at least for th…

That's a good point.

From the article:

I’m also guessing that despite its more homebound nature we’ll see that fingerprint sensor very quickly on the iPad too. The iPad is a perfect shopping tool and one-scan shopping would make that even more true.

I'm also betting it will show up on the new iPads.

So, if it shows up on everything but the 5C, maybe they'll just add it next year.

I'll bet there was some heated discussion at Apple arguing both ways, and it lost out in order to differentiate the high-end model.

Re: Apple's fingerprint scanner may be the biggest leap in payments since the C-Card

#62

Post by swamp40 » Wed, Sep 11, 2013, 1:13 PM UTC

iand wrote: post #52

swamp40 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But you have ten fingers...

So over the years of use I have to remember which ones have been compromised? Unlocking the iPhone with the ring finger of my off hand defeats the whole point of the convenience this is supposed to bring.

It would make for a good conversation starter, though.

Re: Apple's fingerprint scanner may be the biggest leap in payments since the C-Card

#63

Post by edwinnathaniel » Thu, Sep 12, 2013, 3:21 PM UTC

Amadou wrote: post #45

edwinnathaniel wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My concern is with our physical being: determined/desperate criminals will chop of your fingers during robbery.

Here's the problem I see - your phone is covered with your fingerprints. If someone steals your phone they've got your prints. How long will it be until a super cheap fingerprint spoof kit is available? I envision something as simple as using some rubber cement to lift a print from the phone's case, sprinkle some dust (toner?) on it to emphasize the minutiae and then wrapping it around your own finger. It will probab…

... or just to chop off the victim fingers ...

Outside HN context, people in general are not that literate when it comes to tech. Maybe I underestimate it but judging from minimum data around me, there's a very good reason why only a select-few companies are known by the majority of the world.

Re: Apple's fingerprint scanner may be the biggest leap in payments since the C-Card

#64

Post by Amadou » Thu, Sep 12, 2013, 9:50 PM UTC

edwinnathaniel wrote: post #63

Amadou wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's the problem I see - your phone is covered with your fingerprints. If someone steals your phone they've got your prints. How long will it be until a super cheap fingerprint spoof kit is available? I envision something as simple as using some rubber cement to lift a print from the phone's case, sprinkle some dust (toner?) on it to emphasize the minutiae and then wrapping it around your own finger. It will probab…

... or just to chop off the victim fingers ... Outside HN context, people in general are not that literate when it comes to tech. Maybe I underestimate it but judging from minimum data around me, there's a very good reason why only a select-few companies are known by the majority of the world.

Chopping off the fingers has all kinds of barriers.

First, it takes a much larger empathy gap to physically hurt someone in such a visceral fashion versus simply threatening them with violence in order to mug them.

Second, the owner has to be involved in order to chop off their fingers. That means simply stealing it while it is unattended or even pick-pocketing it while the owner is distracted aren't options. My impression is that those are much more common cases than muggings.