From edge-to-edge display to narrowing bezels, there’s just no room left to put a fingerprint sensor on the front panel of a smartphone anymore. Manufacturers are being forced to move it to the back or remove it entirely.
But Chinese smartphone maker Vivo has unveiled the world’s first phone with a working fingerprint sensor embedded underneath the display. Vivo has been working on an in-display fingerprint sensor for the last couple of years. Finally, they have made one which can be produced on a mass scale.
The Chinese firm had announced last year that they had developed the “in-display fingerprint scanning” technology for a prototype phone in China. That version used an ultrasonic sensor which was created with support from chipmaker Qualcomm.
In-Display Fingerprint Scanning Technology
The new version of the in-display fingerprint scanning technology developed by Vivo, along with Qualcomm is an optic-based technology which was developed with Synaptics. The phone’s OLED display panel illuminates the fingerprint which is them read by the sensor.
As you touch the screen, the lit-up fingerprint is then reflected into an in-display fingerprint sensor which is then authenticated.
You can register your fingerprint the same way you do on a normal smartphone with a regular fingerprint sensor. You will need to place your finger on an icon which will be located on the display and keep on pressing until the entire fingerprint is scanned.
The process takes a little time longer than other smartphones since the sensor has to read the fingerprint through the display. Once the fingerprint is registered, unlocking the phone works just fine, like any other physical fingerprint sensors. Simply place your finger on the icon and the phone unlocks.
If you wake the phone with the power button, then the display will show a lock screen and will unlock the device straight into your home screen. But if you will tilt your phone up to activate it from “lift to wake” mode, the OLED display will show you an always-on clock with a little animation where you need press into it.
Face ID Vs. In-Display Fingerprint Sensor
The Face ID on the new iPhone X is good, but it does fail at times. A fingerprint sensor is more practical. Now smartphone manufacturers can use a fingerprint sensor on the front of the phone, without compromising on the thin bezels or the size of the phone.
Synaptics has confirmed that the security of the in-display fingerprint scanner’s authentication would be at the same level as the current fingerprint scanners in premium devices like Pixel 2 or OnePlus 5T.