Does iPad 9.7 2019 have a different Touch ID?

I have 3 devices equipped with Touch ID:

  • iPhone 7 2016
  • iPad 9.7 2019
  • MacBook Pro 13 2019

The Touch ID on my phone works maybe 10% of the time with my sweaty hands, while I have almost 100% success rate with iPad and MBP.

Are different sensors used on these devices?


There are two different generations of Touch ID hardware in Apple devices. The 2nd gen Touch ID hardware is widely regarded as being much faster — nearly instantaneous — compared to the 1st gen Touch ID.

Regarding the specific Apple products in your question: the 2019 iPad uses 1st gen Touch ID and the MacBook and iPhone 7 both use 2nd gen.

See this Wikipedia article on Touch ID for more details.

As of this writing, the breakdown between products with 1st gen vs 2nd gen Touch ID is:

  • 1st Gen
    • iPhone 5S
    • iPhone SE (1st generation)
    • iPhone 6
    • iPhone 6 Plus
    • iPad mini 3
    • iPad (2017)
    • iPad (2018)
    • iPad (2019)
  • 2nd Gen
    • iPhone 6S
    • iPhone 6S Plus
    • iPhone 7
    • iPhone 7 Plus
    • iPhone 8
    • iPhone 8 Plus
    • iPhone SE (2nd generation)
    • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation)
    • iPad Pro 9.7-inch
    • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation)
    • iPad Pro 10.5-inch
    • iPad Air 2
    • iPad Air (3rd generation)
    • iPad mini 4
    • iPad mini (5th generation)
    • MacBook Air (2018)
    • MacBook Pro