I Was Wrong, The iPhone 5S's Fingerprint Sensor Is Badass (For Now)

AppleBack in August, I wrote an article with the following headline, "Assuming The Fingerprint Sensor In Apple's Next iPhone Is Real, It Could Be A Total Gimmick."

But for the last week or so, I've been using the new fingerprint sensor, known as Touch ID, on the iPhone 5S mostly without a hitch.

Touch ID is a new feature exclusively for the iPhone 5S that lets you use your finger as a password. You can simply place your finger on the Home button to unlock your phone and make purchases in the Apple iTunes store, App store, and iBooks store.

On any given day, I may have one or two Touch ID-related issues. For example, it's sometimes problematic when my thumb is particularly sweaty. But in that case, I'll try my luck with my other thumb, which usually works. That's another cool feature of Touch ID. You can program several fingerprints, instead of having to rely on just one.

For the most part, Touch ID makes for a much smoother experience. It's faster than typing in a four digit password, and is also much more secure. With Touch ID, you don't have to worry about someone looking over your shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of your password.

Though, we will have to wait to see if the fingerprint sensor lasts over time. Sweat, dirty pockets, hot and cold environments, and other factors could affect the sensitivity and working conditions of the sensor surface.