Tech Brief: On-screen Fingerprint Sensors Are Here

Back in 2013, Apple became the first company to ship a mainstream smartphone with built-in biometrics for authentication. Called Touch ID, the fingerprint recognition feature became the default means to unlock iPhones and authenticate purchases, until Apple decided to go almost bezel-less with iPhone X and sacrificed a perfectly functioning Touch ID in favour of Face ID. This meant incorporating an obtrusive notch at the top of the phone to house the sensors that can scan your face to unlock the device. It's an unsightly compromise, yes, but Android smartphones like the Galaxy S8 and Pixel 2 have gone the bezel-less way too, but by putting the fingerprint sensor at the back with mixed results. Sony tried a different tack by building the sensor into the power button on the side of Xperia devices, but the design never really caught on with other manufacturers. All of which brings me to Vivo's latest smartphone that might very well be the first handheld device to come with an on-screen fingerprint scanner (made by Synaptics, as announced last month). The unlocking not only feels intuitive and natural, it has the potential to become the biggest trend to watch out for in 2018, including Apple.