[NewsPoster]

The iPhone 5S will implement both NFC and a fingerprint sensor, the China Times alleges. A Taiwanese company, Chipbond, will reportedly provide touch display drivers and some other necessary parts. The fingerprint system is expected to operate in service of the NFC, providing extra security for mobile payments. It should also be based on development work by AuthenTec, a company Apple bought out last summer explicitly for its fingerprint technology.

NFC support has long been rumored for Apple devices, but failed to materialize in either the iPhone 4S or 5. Some form of fingerprint sensor is effectively guaranteed, but whether or not Apple can implement it in time for a 5S will be dependent on factors such as design hurdles, profit margins, and supplier readiness. It's believed that Apple may integrate sensors into the Home buttons of all future iOS devices.

[Flying Meat]

should be closed /em, not /me.

[Spheric Harlot]

I'm gonna call bullshit on this.

Nail me down in seven months, when the 5S has been released.

[pairof9s]

This sounds weak, especially the NFC which has been a mixed bag of support & endorsement in all circles. Just don't see Apple moving in that direction anytime soon, and the fingerprint, I agree, seems too rushed to be ready by Summer.

[fractaledge]

Apple have never introduced major new features in the 's' versions of the their hardware. 5S will be just like 5 but with incremental improvements. New hardware - I'll bet it will be part of 6.