TouchID Accuracy Decay
Posted December 13th, 2013 @ 07:01pm by Erik J. Barzeski
I've been using Touch ID since I got an iPhone 5s in mid-October. Generally speaking, I like it, and I find it faster than the old swipe-and-passcode method, but I've felt compelled to reteach it my fingerprints twice already. I know this sounds impossible, but its recognition of my prints seems to decay with time.
When I first started using TouchID, I was annoyed as heck with it. I re-programmed my thumb about six times over the first month.
Then I realized that I was probably just not programming the right part of my thumb. The next time I re-programmed my phone, I set it down and picked it up quickly. I pulled it from my pocket. I programmed TouchID the same way I use TouchID. I found that I typically touch far closer to my first knuckle when I use my phone than the first six times I programmed TouchID.
I've noticed no "decay" since this sixth time. I noticed decay the first six times because, gradually, I'd revert to the way I grab my phone and move away from remembering how I'd programmed it.
Donate Life
Posted 14 Dec 2013 at 8:37pm #
[…] not sure whether the improvement is due iOS 7.0.4 or happening on a more effective training. In any case, 99% accuracy makes a world of difference. Before, I had dreaded unlocking my phone […]
Posted 15 Dec 2013 at 9:48am #
I've thought there was a decay and I still do. I've retrained mine at least 4 times. But the last time I did both thumbs twice and it seems to be taking longer to when I'll have to do it again. It's not as accurate as it was the day I last did it. And I too have been careful to train the way I really hold it which is more to the side than straight on.
Posted 15 Dec 2013 at 3:43pm #
Mine was working fine for about two months (85% of the time) then deteriorated quickly over the course of a week. Now it recognizes my fingers about 25% of the time.