Vivo will be the first smartphone to come with Synaptics’ in-display fingerprint sensor in 2018

Chinese smartphone giant, Vivo may trump the likes of Apple and Samsung to come as the world’s first phone with in-screen fingerprint reader next year. The company having collaborated with Synaptics Inc., a leading developer of human interface solutions, aims to improve further on the smartphone UI experience by this latest development. Earlier this week, Synaptics Inc. had announced that it has started mass production with top five OEMs of its first optical in-display fingerprint sensors.

Dubbed Clear ID FS9500, the optical fingerprint sensors deliver one-touch high-resolution scanning through full cover glass enabling sleek, button-free, bezel-free infinity displays. Being protected by glass, the scratch and waterproof optical solution excels with wet, dry and cold fingers allowing users to securely unlock their device in varied situations, at any angle. According to the company statement, the sensors are twice as fast as 3D facial recognition and require only one touch to access the smartphone.

These are likely to be introduced in high-end flagship smartphones possessing the largely popular Infinity OLED displays. Furthermore they seem to be the likely evolution of modern alternative biometric sensors as faster, more convenient, and more secure optical technology options.
With the inbuilt sensors the manufacturers in near future would be able to bring out more full-screen smartphones, complete with the ease of a front-facing fingerprint sensor. To satisfy the claims, Vivo is indeed amongst the top five smartphone OEMs, after Samsung, Apple, Huawei, and Xiaomi, in terms of shipment results of the third quarter of 2017 (IDC Tracker).

In past the big-wigs of technology as Apple and Samsung were also rumored to be incorporating in-screen fingerprint sensors in their flagship smartphones however, they didn’t come to pass. Let’s hope with Vivo it’s a new story.

Source: Synaptics via Forbes