Why Apple added fingerprint scanning to the iPhone 5s

After Apple announced fingerprint scanning on the iPhone 5s, I asked myself why they chose to add fingerprint scanning? Security, especially for users like myself who found that entering a passcode each time they unlocked their phones was too cumbersome, seems to be the obvious answer. However, I do not think that security is only half the reason Apple added this. Apple wants to make sure that users secure their phone so that their information is secure, of course, but they also care about making their products as convenient as possible.

The ability to swipe anywhere on the iOS 7 lock screen is an indication of this. For those who do not know, you can now swipe to the right from anywhere in the lock screen, making unlocking your device simpler than ever. Now with the iPhone 5s, Apple has removed even the need to swipe. All a user needs to do is tap the home button and hold their finger on top of it until their fingerprint is recognized, which based on initial reports happens fairly quickly. This is Apple, removing friction from everyday tasks rather than entrenching their latest products in useless features, they have made the exceedingly common task of unlocking a phone both more secure and easier—two things which are often contradictory.