LG has developed a way to implement fingerprint sensing technology into a smartphone display.
Currently, if you’re a smartphone manufacturer that wants to include fingerprint technology into your phone, you need to find a special place for it.
The Samsung Galaxy S7 and the iPhone 6S place the sensor under a pre-existing physical home button, while the LG G5 and Nexus 6P go with a rear-mounted sensor, and Sony finds space on the side of their devices.
Now LG Innotek, a materials and components manufacturer affiliated with LG, has found a way to make such a fingerprint sensor invisible. It will slot the sensor into a 0.3mm space beneath the display.
Apparently, this under-glass module can be customised for any handset manufacturer.
“The new module is expected to drastically reduce any smartphone malfunctions, as it does not require a specific button for fingerprint recognition,” saidthe company (via Korea Times).
This could potentially free up designers to create sleeker smartphones that don’t require a dedicated area for fingerprint authentication. It will also make it easier to create water and dust-proof phones that include such technology.
Related: LG G5 vs Galaxy S7
In terms of the performance of the fingerprint sensing technology itself, LG says that it is on a par with existing systems. This includes a 0.002 percent error rate.
LG’s new technology will be ready to ship in new smartphone handsets “within the year”. We’re thinking that it could make its debut in the follow-up to the LG V10, but with LG Innotek in talks with other handset manufacturers, that might not necessarily be the case.
Next, take a look at our LG V10 hands-on video:
Are you yearning for a simpler, button-free smartphone design? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.