The Touch ID sensor in the upcoming iOS devices (including the iPad) will be both more plentiful and more durable.
Per an article in the China Times, manufacturer TSMC will boost its Touch ID production 233 percent to 120 million units. The component will also purportedly become more durable in the process.
It’s been thought that Apple will incorporate the Touch ID sensor in both the rumored 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone handsets as well as the forthcoming iPad Air and iPad mini generations. Until now Touch ID has been limited to the iPhone 5s, in part because of the limited amount of sapphire available for cover glass. Apple has partnered with GT Advanced on at least one sapphire plant, however, which should make widespread use cost-effective.
The Touch ID component is thought to be taking on a more integral role in iOS, as one of the features of iOS 8 is support for Touch ID in third-party apps, which will expand its use beyond the current sandbox of device unlocks and iTunes purchases.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.