Effectiveness of Iphone’s Touch ID: KSA Case Study

A new trend of incorporating Touch ID sensors in mobile devices is appearing. Last year, Apple released a new model of its famous iPhone (5s). One of the most anticipated and hailed features of the new device was its Touch ID. Apple advertised that the new technology will increase the security of its device, and it will also be used in different applications as a proof of identity. To make the issue more controversial, Apple announced a new financial service (Apple Pay) that allows iPhone 6 users to use their iPhone as a replacement to credit cards. The minute the new technology was introduced; many questions appeared that needed immediate answers. Users were concerned about how it will work? Is it easy to use? Is it really safe? And whether it will be effective in protecting their private data or not? In this paper we provide a comprehensive study of this feature. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using it. Then we analyze and share the results of a survey that we conducted to measure the effectiveness of such feature in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). In this study, we only focus on users from KSA, because if the device fails to protect mobile's data, severe consequences might happen. Due to cultural believes in KSA, releasing mobile contents to unauthorized people could lead to crimes. Survey analysis revealed somewhat controversial results, while 76% of all participants believe that this technology will improve the device security, only 33% use it to lock/unlock their devices, and even a smaller percentage use it to make purchases. Keywords—IPhone 5s; IPhone 6; IPhone 6 plus; Fingerprint;