Apple has recently acquired AuthenTec, a fingerprint security company, for about $356 million. That is why many expert speculations insist on the possibility that future iPhones and other Apple gadgets will have fingerprint readers built into them. One possibility is that the famous Apple button would double as a button and fingerprint reader on the device.

The company has always been researching solutions to make purchases easier and more secure on its marketplace, so there is a huge possibility of plans regarding using fingerprint recognition in place of a password for iTunes payments.

Furthermore, Apple has a long history of acquiring a company before using its technologies on its own. For example, Siri was bought before it appeared in the iPhone 4S, Poly9 was acquired before Apple’s new maps landed in iOS 6, and an ARM chip firm was bought before the new processor started appearing in its devices.

It is worthy to note that there isn’t any definite information regarding introducing fingerprint readers on recently upcoming Apple gadgets, like the iPhone 5. Yet surprises from Apple have always been a possibility.

[Source: finance.yahoo.com , Image by norebbo.com]