The China only Under-Display Fingerprint Sensor iPhone rumor making the rounds is interesting but the reasons offered for it, and the analysis for lost iPhone sales in China don’t really add up. There is a far simpler explanation: Face ID sucks when you wear face masks.
Lots of people in Japan and China wear face masks at different times of the year for flu season, pollen season, pollution season, etc. Whatever the reason, Face ID is simply not an option for these people. If it doesn’t work, why bother paying lots of money for a Face ID iPhone model? If Chinese manufacturers are selling under-display fingerprint sensor at a cheaper price than a Face ID iPhone, the choice for a face mask user is a no-brainer.
Whatever the outcome of the China market iPhone rumor, Apple going all in with Face ID has left money and marketshare on the table for others to grab.