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Apple might bring Touch ID to its Apple Watch lineup on 2026, along with a meaningful chip upgrade, findings in leaked Apple code suggest.

Macworld has discovered strings in internal Apple code that points to some interesting hardware upgrades for the Apple Watch lineup in 2026, including Touch ID fingerprint authentication and a significant upgrade to the S-series silicon powering the smartwatch.

The existence of these code strings in internal Apple code suggests that the company is already internally testing said hardware upgrades. Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes recently said that the 2026 Apple Watch lineup will get significant design changes, and new hardware features like Touch ID sound like a nice fit.

Touch ID could come to Apple Watch

Touch ID could replace the need to type the passcode every time you want to change a locked setting on your Apple Watch, just like on the Mac and older iPhones. On-device biometric authentication could also make mobile payments with Apple Pay more secure and simplify authorizing App Store downloads.

Apple’s 2020 patent filing outlines a dedicated Touch ID fingerprint reader built into the Apple Watch’s side button. The Digital Crown button already has a built-in sensor for ECG function, so that rules it out as a candidate for Touch ID. The patent filing also mentions that fingerprint authentication could enable user identification, implying multi-user support could come to the Apple Watch at some point.

A meaningful CPU upgrade

The last two Apple Watch generations dissapountid in terms of sheer CPU power. The Apple S9 and S10 chips in the 2023 and 2024 Apple Watch lineups share the T8310 architecture. Plus, leaked internal info suggests that the upcoming Apple S11 chip for the 2025 Apple Watch lineup will also have the same T8310 architecture, suggesting no visible performance improvements.

But that could change in 2026, as the leaked code references the new identifier “T8320” which suggests a major chip upgrade for the next year’s Apple Watch lineup comprising the Apple Watch Series 12 andApple Watch Ultra 4 models.

Another clue: the leaked code uses the “Watch8” identities for the 2026 Apple Watch lineup, which hints at a big hardware leap. In contrast, the Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10 and Series 11 models are all part of the “Watch7” family due to their similarities.

Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/08/19/2026-apple-watch-touch-id-rumor/

Apple may drop the dedicated Camera Control shutter button from the next year’s iPhone 18 lineup due to low engagement, according to a sketchy rumor.

Apple giveth, and Apple taketh away! Just a year after the debut of the dedicated Camera Control shutter button on the iPhone 16 Pros, a sketchy new rumor claims the company may already be preparing to retire it for next year’s iPhone 18 lineup.

The report by MacRumors is based on claims published by a Weibo account with a track record that’s best described as nonexistent, so take this with the usual dose of skepticism. It claims that Apple told suppliers to stop producing components for the feature due to “low engagement.” If that’s true, then most people aren’t actually using this feature.

Do you use the Camera Control button?

Apple marketed the Camera Control button as a professional-grade shutter alternative, complete with haptic feedback and the ability to adjust zoom, depth and exposure. But real-world reviews were mixed. Some found it a clever nod to dedicated cameras, but many reviewers found it unusable due to awkward placement below the power button on the right side. Speaking of rumors based on sketchy sources, there’s another one claiming Apple will actually add a second Camera Control button to this year’s iPhone 17 Pros.

It would be apparently located on the top edge and complement the existing Camera Control button on the bottom-right edge. This is based on an anonymous tip sent to MacRumors from someone with no proven track record but apparently familiar with Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro ad. The current Camera Control button is hard to reach comfortably with your finger when the device is in landscape orientation. Another button on the left side (the top side in portrait orientation) could solve this problem, unless you consider how bizarre two Camera Control buttons sound.

Of course, Apple did previously launch features with great fanfare only to vanish when the usage numbers didn’t justify their existence. The iPhone’s mute switch was replaced with the Action button and the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar was unceremoniously removed in under five years.

That being said, it may be too early to remove the Camera Control button; the feature debuted less than a year ago on the iPhone 16 Pros, released in September 2024. But if usage numbers are really low as the poster claims, and the feature complicates manufacturing or adds cost without a clear return, then ditching it might make sense. Keep in mind that this comes from a sketchy source. Also, reliable supply chain analysts haven’t backed up the claim.

Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/08/19/apple-could-ditch-iphone-18-camera-control-button-low-engagement-rumor/