iPhone 5 to sport fingerprint technology?

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http://www.todayonline.com/Technology/EDC120910-0000087/iPhone-5-to-sport-fingerprint-technology

Apple is due to secure its acquisition of a company specialising in fingerprint scanning next month, days after the latest iPhone goes on sale, suggesting the technology will be used to improve security in the world's bestselling phone.

The board of AuthenTec is expected to agree to a $365-million (S$451-million) acquisition by Apple when it votes on Oct 4.

If fingerprint scanning is not among this year's new features, it looks likely to appear in the next handset update.

AuthenTec signed a development contract with Apple in July which runs until September 2013, just in time for next year's iPhone launch.

The scanning could be used to unlock company handsets which carry sensitive information, or to authenticate payments.

Apple is also introducing a service called Passbook this autumn when it releases its iOS 6 phone software.

Passbook will store coupons, loyalty cards and even airline boarding passes. Time, date and location data will be used to show the relevant passes on the home screen, so that these can be scanned by checkout or airline staff.