The Apple iPhone 5S will be introduced to a waiting world this week, and rumors and leaks are mounting ahead of the big event. The iPhone 5S is thought to be an incremental upgrade to the iPhone 5, but we’ve previously discussed how many potential buyers are hoping for something rather more. Now it seems the iPhone 5S killer feature, in the way of a fingerprint sensor, is more likely than ever.

Over the last few months one of the things that readers have often commented on is the fact that Apple really needs to pull something out of the bag with the next premium iPhone. The competition from Android handsets such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 and upcoming LG G2 is now so stiff that Apple cannot afford to be complacent.

Many were therefore surprised about widespread reports that the iPhone 5S would be nothing more than a minor upgrade, but it seems that Apple had something up its sleeve in the way of a fingerprint scanner. We’re not sure that this is as much of a ‘killer feature’ as Apple seems to think it is. Nevertheless, it would be a welcome addition.

Over recent months and weeks it has looked more and more likely that the much-rumored fingerprint sensor beneath the home button would make an appearance. There has been an abundance of reports and leaks about this, including from major news sources. A few days ago we told readers about a leaked component purporting to be from the iPhone 5S, that appeared to be the home button with a fingerprint reader.

In the last couple of days more evidence has appeared that seems to virtually confirm the appearance of a fingerprint sensor for the iPhone 5S. Further leaked images that are claimed to be of an iPhone 5S component, show a redesigned home button with a silver ring around it. There is no way of verifying the images (see one directly below), but they do come from prolific Apple product leaker Sonny Dickson.

There was initial talk that the silver ring was just for aesthetics, to distinguish an iPhone that included a fingerprint sensor from other iPhones. However, Apple Insider has looked into patent filings and makes the point that this metallic ring may be a necessary component for the sensor to function. The technicalities of this are very complex so head to the link if you want to read the full details.

It’s also pointed out that Apple seldom adds something different merely for aesthetics, and is unlikely to have added the silver ring just to distinguish an iPhone with a fingerprint sensor. For example when the iPhone 4 benefitted from a front-facing camera there was no particular embellishment added to make this new feature stand out.

The idea that the iPhone 5S is coming with a fingerprint sensor is also backed up by biometric expert Phillip Smith, according to SlashGear. The former CPO of UPEK was involved in the first fingerprint scanners brought to PC’s. UPEK was later acquired by Authentec, which was then acquired by Apple.

Smith asserts that the leaked component of the home button is the real deal and says that the light colored disk surrounds the silicon sensor while the connected black square is the co-processor. Hence all the indications are that the fingerprint sensor feature is genuinely coming to the iPhone 5S.

Other rumored iPhone 5S inclusions are a new 64-bit A7 processor and improved camera with f/2.0 aperture and dual-LED flash. A 128GB storage option also looks possible while we know that the iPhone will run the upcoming updated operating system iOS 7.

We’d appreciate your thoughts on the new iPhone 5S, due to be unveiled in just two more days, so feel free to send us your comments. Are you hoping the news of the fingerprint scanner is accurate, and if so would this be an incentive for you to purchase the phone? Maybe you feel the new sensor is not enough of a ‘killer feature’ and you’re hoping for much more?