Fingerprint sensors. It's one of those things that once you've used it, you can't go back to a device that doesn't have it. But the original ones use a button... I hate buttons. The Samsung 'egg' or the iPhone ... it always 'clicks' when you press it.
Samsung went way with the button to have the sensor but put it in an awkward place. Apple has been looking for a way to do away with the button as well, but wants to have it in the front still. But how to get it there and not take up space?
Folks for a while have talked about getting the sensor underneath the glass of the display and get it to work.
Looks like Vivo will be first to do this. Today, Qualcomm talked about their new sensor that will not only work but will even have the ability to read your heartbeat too!
Right now the timetable is looking for wide availability around next summer.
Source: AndroidPolice
Press release
Qualcomm Announces Advanced Fingerprint Scanning and Authentication Technology
—Capable of Scanning Through Display, Thick Glass and Metal with Underwater Operation, Heartbeat and Blood Flow Detection —
SHANGHAI—June 28,2017—At Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2017, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM), today announced Qualcomm®Fingerprint Sensors, next-generation ultrasonic fingerprint solutions which bring new and enhanced features to the previous generation Qualcomm® Snapdragon Sense™ID fingerprint technology. The suite of features consists of sensors for Display, Glass and Metal, detection of directional gestures, and underwater fingerprint match and device wake-up.It is also the first commercially announced integrated ultrasonic-based mobile solution to detect heart beat and blood flow for improved mobile authentication experiences.
“We are excited to announce Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors because they can be designed to support sleeker, cutting-edge form factors, unique mobile authentication experiences, and enhanced security authentication,” said Seshu Madhavapeddy, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “This provides OEMs and operators with the ability to offer truly distinct, differentiated devices with added value on truly groundbreaking new devices.”
Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensor for Display is the mobile industry’s first commercially announced multi-functional ultrasonic solution capable of scanning through OLED display stacks of upto 1200um, along with enrolling and matching, and Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors for Glass and Metal are the first commercially announced to scan through up to 800 μm of cover glass and up to 525 μm of aluminum, an improvement over the previous generation’s 400 μm capability for glass or metal.
Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors are designed as both an integrated solution with Qualcomm® Snapdragon™Mobile Platforms, and as standalone sensors that can be used with other non-Snapdragon Platforms. Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors for Glass and Metal are designed to be compatible with the recently announced Snapdragon 660 and 630 Mobile Platforms, and Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors for Display, Glass and Metal are designed to be compatible with future Snapdragon Mobile Platforms and non-Snapdragon platforms.
The new suite of features, compared to the previous generation, supports more design flexibility for operators and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) by making it easier to differentiate products with unique form factors and advanced features and designs. Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors for Glass and Metal are expected to be available to OEMs this month, and are expected to arrive in commercial devices in the first half of 2018. Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensor for Display is expected to be available for OEMs to evaluate in the fourth quarter of 2017.
With Vivo Communication Technology Co. Ltd.,Qualcomm Technologies will be demonstrating Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors for Display and Metal using modified versions of the VIVO XPlay 6.Qualcomm Technologies will also be demonstrating Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors for Glass using a modified device designed for demo purposes only. All demonstrations can be found at Qualcomm Technologies’ booth W5.E90 (Hall W5) at MWC Shanghai.