New photos point fingers at alleged iPad 5 fingerprint sensor cable

iPad 5 fingerprint scanner
Great news for new iPad owners, terrible news for thieves

Unlocking an iPad 5 and iPad mini 2 may be as easy as lifting a finger, according to new photos rumored to be of a redesigned home button connector cable.

This alleged fingerprint sensing cable is said to contain many differences when compared to that of the non-Touch ID scanning iPad 4, according to the Chinese-language site

C Technology

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More importantly, its features resemble the ribbon found in the iPhone 5S, which made its debut last month along with Apple's Touch ID fingerprint recognition system.

These unconfirmed photos back up prior reports that the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2 are going to be taking feature and color cues from the iPhone 5S, likely on Oct. 15.

iPad isn't always in line with latest iPhone

Just because iPhone 5S has a fingerprint sensor doesn't mean that the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2 are guaranteed to contain the new technology, of course.

Siri, for example, launched with the iPhone 4S five months before the iPad 3, where Apple's voice-controlled personal assistant was noticeably absent.

It wasn't until the iPad 4 unveiling later that year that Apple made Siri available for its third and fourth generation tablets.

Likewise, the iPad 2 came out six months after the iPhone 4, but the newer tablet didn't contain a Retina display. iPad 3 finally upgraded the hardware year later, which was 18 months after it first premiered on the smartphone.

Whether or not a Touch ID fingerprint scanner is ready for Apple's next set of tablets remains to be seen.

But the more leaked photos that pop up on the internet, the better it looks for future iPad owners and the worse it looks for device-snatching thieves.

Matt Swider