Touch ID had to go because the home button was removed. They are now developing on screen fingerprint detection to bring back touch ID as a secondaryunlock mechanism.
The newest ipad Air has touch id in the power/lock button on the side. I know production timelines probably made it impossible to do in reaction to COVID, but can you imagine if they had put this on iphone 12 late last year? So many iphone users would have bought one just to fix face ID with masks.
I hope they do - I've been holding onto my 8+ as FaceID is annoying.
I think the sensor-on-the-back mechanism on some Android phones is better than Touch ID ever was.