Synaptics makes available in-display fingerprint sensor to a 'top five' manufacturer

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone
Long-time Apple supplier Synaptics has revealed its new fingerprint scanning technology, with the company claiming that it functions through "infinity displays" like that found in the Galaxy S8 and iPhone X.




The technology, called "Clear ID" delivers what the company calls "one-touch high-resolution scanning through full cover glass." In a release trumpeting the mass-production of the FS9500 family of sensors, Synaptics claims that Clear ID is twice as fast as 3D facial recognition and requires only one touch to access a smartphone.

Synaptics isn't specifying which facial recognition system that it addresses in the release about the new sensor.

The company's statement about the matter is fairly clear that the solution is widely adoptable to a number of manufacturers, should they so choose. Features offered to equipment manufacturers with the FS9500 include Quantum Matcher for fingerprint matching, PurePrint to examine fingerprint images, and SecureLink combining TLS with ECC authentication and AES encryption -- all features handled by Apple's Secure Enclave and Touch ID subsystems.

The release is more about the fact that a "top five OEM" is partnering with the company, than the technology itself. At present it is not clear who Synaptics is referring to. Samsung is the largest OEM by volume, followed by Apple in volume at number two.

Synaptics supplies components for the iPhone touch screen. While there is no particular facility dedicated to the task currently known, analysts are seeing a "significant number" of engineers from the company now working at Apple.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 41
    qwweraqwwera Posts: 282member
    yeah, i'm gonna be making android phones in china with this gear. i'd be top 5 easy right? Apple, Samsung, Huwai, umm some other company , then me right?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 41
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member

    oh such yesterdays technology, those who can do faceID will settle for this old technology.

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 41
    kevin keekevin kee Posts: 1,289member
    Once you do facial, you won't go back to finger. Sorry, no puns are intended whatsoever.
    tylerdmichael madsenmagman1979doozydozenjony0racerhomieRayz2016jbdragonpatchythepiratenetmage
  • Reply 4 of 41
    tylerdtylerd Posts: 33member
    Not coming to iPhone guys. Don't kid yourself. Apple makes homegrown patentable technology that will give it a competitive advantage in the market. This by definition is a race-to-the-bottom commodity technology that will soon trickle down to cheap Android devices. Synaptics will make their profits by selling in high volume to these manufacturers. To understand Apple's roadmap, you must look at their patent portfolio. 
    radarthekatStrangeDaysracerhomiepatchythepirateargonautwatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 41
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,080member
    The real question is if this can be done much cheaper than FaceID.   If it can and if it is as secure as TouchID then its better than FaceID.  This is better because you wouldn't need to have a big, ugly notch.   FaceID will be scene as the Betamax of authentication.
    supadav03
  • Reply 6 of 41
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    k2kw said:
    The real question is if this can be done much cheaper than FaceID.   If it can and if it is as secure as TouchID then its better than FaceID.  This is better because you wouldn't need to have a big, ugly notch.   FaceID will be scene as the Betamax of authentication.
    Let’s wait and see. I’m not going to be digging Face ID’s grave because of some company’s press release. And this sensor still won’t work with gloves. Face ID does.
    doozydozenjony0racerhomiepatchythepirateargonaut
  • Reply 7 of 41
    PickUrPoisonPickUrPoison Posts: 302member
    k2kw said:
    The real question is if this can be done much cheaper than FaceID.   If it can and if it is as secure as TouchID then its better than FaceID.  This is better because you wouldn't need to have a big, ugly notch.   FaceID will be scene as the Betamax of authentication.
    There are 8 sensors/transducers in the notch area, only three iirc are related to TrueDepth. So even if Apple were to get rid of FaceID and other features that relied on TrueDepth like Portrait Lighting, there would still be that iconic notch that we already see competitors imitating. 

    But of course Apple won’t get rid of FaceID or the TrueDepth system. The iPhone X is a home run, and Apple is forecasting their best quarter in history, with record iPhone sales.

    The notch will be around for the foreseeable future. That you personally don’t like it is not relevant. 
    stompypolymniamagman1979StrangeDaysdoozydozenracerhomieRayz2016patchythepiratenetmageargonaut
  • Reply 8 of 41
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,904moderator
    This is great news.  Well, it would have been, three years ago.  Biometrics in the premium phone segment will move on, following Apple’s lead.
    StrangeDaysdoozydozenracerhomiebeowulfschmidtargonautwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 41
    polymniapolymnia Posts: 1,080member
    k2kw said:
    The real question is if this can be done much cheaper than FaceID.   If it can and if it is as secure as TouchID then its better than FaceID.  This is better because you wouldn't need to have a big, ugly notch.   FaceID will be scene as the Betamax of authentication.
    I’m gonna go out on a limb and assume you do not have an iPhone X. Face ID is better than Touch ID. 

    Exhibit A: no authentication touch necessary to open a banking app, sign in to pay or sign in to an account. 

    Once you you remove the authentication gesture, you’d be surprised how low friction security becomes.

    More like the Netflix of authentication.
    edited December 2017 StrangeDaysdoozydozenracerhomiepatchythepiratenetmageargonautcharlesgreswatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 41
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 13,101member
    k2kw said:
    The real question is if this can be done much cheaper than FaceID.   If it can and if it is as secure as TouchID then its better than FaceID.  This is better because you wouldn't need to have a big, ugly notch.   FaceID will be scene as the Betamax of authentication.
    Keep wishing bro. But those of us who actually have the X know otherwise — looking at a picture of a thing is not the same as using a thing. nobody cares about the notch except haters and OCD types, neither of which actually use the device. 
    doozydozenjbdragonnetmageargonautwatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 41
    Roxy BalboaRoxy Balboa Posts: 55member
    Touch ID is primitive. You look like a caveman using it.
    netmagecharlesgres
  • Reply 12 of 41
    matrix077matrix077 Posts: 868member
    k2kw said:
    The real question is if this can be done much cheaper than FaceID.   If it can and if it is as secure as TouchID then its better than FaceID.  This is better because you wouldn't need to have a big, ugly notch.   FaceID will be scene as the Betamax of authentication.
    LOL. So you think Apple didn't think about this solution before going all out with FaceID? I love it when you accuse the biggest company in the world to make a decision on a whim.

    Let just see this thing in real world action first before proclaiming anything, shall we? I don't like FaceID when it's announced yet now I adore it. This thing could be opposite.
    edited December 2017 Martin57jbdragonnetmage
  • Reply 13 of 41
    supadav03supadav03 Posts: 504member
    I’ve had my X for about a month now and I’ve enjoyed Face ID but I’d still prefer an under the screen finger print reader. As long as it works as well as Touch ID does, I’d trade Face ID for it. 
  • Reply 14 of 41
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    It’s great that they’ve got a “top five” OEM on board, but I’m also wondering what the top 1, 2, 3 and 4 are doing. I suspect they’re going with their own facial recognition engines. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 41
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    k2kw said:
    The real question is if this can be done much cheaper than FaceID.   If it can and if it is as secure as TouchID then its better than FaceID.  This is better because you wouldn't need to have a big, ugly notch.   FaceID will be scene as the Betamax of authentication.
    “seen” as the Betamax of authentication. 
    wonkothesanewatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 41
    bestkeptsecretbestkeptsecret Posts: 4,285member
    k2kw said:
    The real question is if this can be done much cheaper than FaceID.   If it can and if it is as secure as TouchID then its better than FaceID.  This is better because you wouldn't need to have a big, ugly notch.   FaceID will be scene as the Betamax of authentication.

    Well, looks like Betamax will get it's due this time around!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 41
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    rogifan_new said:
    k2kw said:
    The real question is if this can be done much cheaper than FaceID.   If it can and if it is as secure as TouchID then its better than FaceID.  This is better because you wouldn't need to have a big, ugly notch.   FaceID will be scene as the Betamax of authentication.
    Let’s wait and see. I’m not going to be digging Face ID’s grave because of some company’s press release. And this sensor still won’t work with gloves. Face ID does.
    TouchID works with a full face crash helmet or burka. moot point.
  • Reply 18 of 41
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 8,021member
    StrangeDays said:
    k2kw said:
    The real question is if this can be done much cheaper than FaceID.   If it can and if it is as secure as TouchID then its better than FaceID.  This is better because you wouldn't need to have a big, ugly notch.   FaceID will be scene as the Betamax of authentication.
    Keep wishing bro. But those of us who actually have the X know otherwise — looking at a picture of a thing is not the same as using a thing. nobody cares about the notch except haters and OCD types, neither of which actually use the device. 
    But, just like he says, cost is a significant factor and is one of the reasons you shelled out so much for your phone. It is also one of the reasons why it isn't on Apple's other new phones.

    I have no issues with FaceID or the notch but there is no way I'm paying much more just to have it. The difference doesn't justify the functionality IMO.

    With this new breakthrough, my only doubt is how you will physically locate the sensor to activate it when you aren't looking at the phone. Most current solutions provide some kind of tactile 'feedback' (recessed sensors etc). The only thing that occurs to me is some kind of haptic response or if the sensor itself is big enough to cover a larger underscreen area than current sensors you can learn its 'rough' position well enough for high success.
  • Reply 19 of 41
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,469member
    I'd be surprised if Apple replaced FID with TID Under Glass. That would be seen by many as Apple taking a step backwards and 'admitting' FID was a mistake. Maybe they'll replace TID in all/most of the other phones with TIDUG.

    I'd prefer TID over FID though I wouldn't postpone my impending iPX purchase hoping that the next one would have TID. I'd really like to use FID to see how we get along, but TID does suit my use cases.
  • Reply 20 of 41
    zimmermannzimmermann Posts: 343member
    macgui said:
    I'd be surprised if Apple replaced FID with TID Under Glass. That would be seen by many as Apple taking a step backwards and 'admitting' FID was a mistake. Maybe they'll replace TID in all/most of the other phones with TIDUG.

    I'd prefer TID over FID though I wouldn't postpone my impending iPX purchase hoping that the next one would have TID. I'd really like to use FID to see how we get along, but TID does suit my use cases.
    I’m also more of a TID man.
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