Leak: Samsung could beat Apple to the punch with fingerprint sensor in Note 3

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple's biggest rival, Samsung, may be getting ready to unveil its own fingerprint sensing technology today with the Galaxy Note 3, potentially taking some of the wind out of the next iPhone's sails even before the device is introduced.



According to one application package file (APK) list posted by noted tech news leaker @evleaks, a "FingerprintService.apk" file is among the many files included in that list. Additionally, a "trusted insider" said to work within Samsung India's R&D department has reportedly confirmed to Temefy that the newest generation of the Note will come with a fingerprint sensor and that it will have "an amazing feature."

According to reports, the sensor in the Note 3 will be used to unlock the smartphone, but also to enable a "Dual User Mode." Such an option would allow for the regular unlocking methods, such as password protection or simple swipe-to-unlock, but would give access to a user's sensitive files were it unlocked with the owner's fingerprint.

The source does not explain why Samsung did not roll out the technology with its much more popular Galaxy S4 flagship's debut earlier this year, but the South Korean tech giant could be simply testing the waters on the technology ahead of a larger rollout. The Note 2, predecessor to the device Samsung will announce today, is popular in its own right ? moving millions of units in its first two months of release ? so it could serve as a suitable testing ground for Samsung releasing the technology for a wider segment of its product line.

Should Samsung actually roll out fingerprint sensor technology with the Note 3, the tech giant could wind up getting a slight jump on its top rival, Apple. Apple is also expected to be ready to show off its own fingerprint sensor in the iPhone 5S. Apple purchased AuthenTec, developer of a Smart Sensor technology, last year, and has reportedly been working that sensor technology into the next iPhone. That device is set to be unveiled at a special event just under a week after Samsung's presentation at IFA in Berlin.

Fingerprint sensing technology, should it appear in one of the devices or both, will represent a significant move forward in mobile device security. Wells Fargo on Wednesday raised its projected price range for Apple stock on rumors of a fingerprint sensor, saying that the technology has the potential to drive corporate adoption of new handsets thanks to the strong security measures. It could also greatly boost mobile commerce, giving consumers a tough layer of security for NFC-based buying or other e-commerce that is not easily replicated.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 116
    dnd0psdnd0ps Posts: 253member
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  • Reply 2 of 116

    If Samsung does use a fingerprint sensor, then who are they licensing the technology from? Validity is one company that's pushing their technology. We have no idea what Authentec is doing since they no longer have a website up touting their wares.

  • Reply 3 of 116
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by EricTheHalfBee View Post

     

    ... We have no idea what Authentec is doing since they no longer have a website up touting their wares.


     

    Actually we do.  Authentec is no longer licensing it's tech, and the only devices out there that still use it are using the old tech, not the new stuff that Apple is presumably about to announce.  

     

    Word in the industry is that Authentec is/was the best, and supposedly their new stuff (the stuff that Apple bought) makes their old stuff look bad by comparison.  Therefore it would seem likely that Samsungs scanner, whatever it is, will be less capable, less reliable and less easy to use than Apple's, either by a little, or by a lot.  We shall soon see in any case.  

  • Reply 4 of 116
    If Samsung does release a fingerprint sensor, let's see if it infringes Apple's patents, and let's see how well it works.

    Finger print sensors are common in many laptops but they are not in the screen and they do not work very well.

    Question: What is the diagram in the article above? Where is it from?

    ====================

    OK. I watched the presentation and Samsung did not introduce a fingerprint sensor.
  • Reply 5 of 116

    Nobody puts a Galaxy Note in their pocket. Fingerprint sensors have been on laptops for over a decade now. The sweet spot is making one resilient enough for a smart phone's wear and tear, which I'd wager Samsung has yet to implement.

  • Reply 6 of 116
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by EricTheHalfBee View Post

     

    If Samsung does use a fingerprint sensor, then who are they licensing the technology from? Validity is one company that's pushing their technology. We have no idea what Authentec is doing since they no longer have a website up touting their wares.


     

    Authentec was purchased by Apple. So we know exactly what they've been doing.

  • Reply 7 of 116
    If Samsung does release a fingerprint sensor, let's see if it infringes Apple's patents, and let's see how well it works.

    If a fingerprint sensor appeared in a movie from 40 years ago, it's prior art. Therefore, Samsung wins.
  • Reply 8 of 116
    bcodebcode Posts: 141member
    I doubt it... Samsung could be the first to put a completely useless, easily by-passable fingerprint scanner in a mobile device - sure.

    I sincerely doubt that they have mastered secure fingerprint scanning, as Apple likely has.

    If anyone remembers, Mythbusters beat a plethora of scanners with simply a photocopy of a fingerprint... Just any fingerprint scanner won't do, I'm afraid.
  • Reply 9 of 116
    If true, this just means that now we can give Samsung the Finger!
  • Reply 10 of 116
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gazoobee View Post

     

     

    Actually we do.  Authentec is no longer licensing it's tech, and the only devices out there that still use it are using the old tech, not the new stuff that Apple is presumably about to announce.

     

    Word in the industry is that Authentec is/was the best, and supposedly their new stuff (the stuff that Apple bought) makes their old stuff look bad by comparison.  Therefore it would seem likely that Samsungs scanner, whatever it is, will be less capable, less reliable and less easy to use than Apple's, either by a little, or by a lot.  We shall soon see in any case.


     

    I'm quite sure Authentec is working on something big or else Apple wouldn't have dropped $350 million on them. Compare that to what Apple paid for PA Semi and Intrinsity (who are arguably responsible for the most important part of iOS devices, the A-Series processors).

     

    However, we still don't know what their actually technology is. Meanwhile Validity's website talks about how they have the smallest and most accurate sensor but they don't say who or what they're comparing it to.

  • Reply 11 of 116
    bcode wrote: »
    I doubt it... Samsung could be the first to put a completely useless, easily by-passable fingerprint scanner in a mobile device - sure.

    I sincerely doubt that they have mastered secure fingerprint scanning, as Apple likely has.

    If anyone remembers, Mythbusters beat a plethora of scanners with simply a photocopy of a fingerprint... Just any fingerprint scanner won't do, I'm afraid.
    Agree. If it has one it'll use the same old technology used in Motorola's fingerprint scanner - meaning it just won't work very well. But Samsung will do it just so they and their fans can say they were "first".
  • Reply 12 of 116

    Bring it! Will be great to see which one works better and is more reliable long-term. It's one thing to have a feature, it's another for it to work well and keep working well.

     

    Anticipating the "Samsung already has that!" when Apple rolls theirs out ... should make for a wonderful new round of forum spats (just what we needed more of).

  • Reply 13 of 116
    kpluckkpluck Posts: 500member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by tommy0guns View Post

     

    Nobody puts a Galaxy Note in their pocket.


     

    Everyone I know that has one does put it in their pocket, at least the Galaxy Note 2.

     

    Assuming the sensor is something third parties can support, Apple's would have far greater impact by nature of the number of units that would ship with it which would greatly encourage 3rd party support.

     

    Unless Samsung makes an announcement that their sensor was going on all their phones and they would be immediately updated, I don't think it would have much of an impact on the marketplace.

     

    -kpluck

  • Reply 14 of 116
    larryalarrya Posts: 606member
    I'm sure it will be amazing! I anticipate a well-integrated, well thought out, refined, non-gimicky implementation of a feature that I won't be able to figure out how I ever lived without.

    Like all the stuff on the S4 that everyone turns off.
  • Reply 15 of 116
    larrya wrote: »
    I'm sure it will be amazing! I anticipate a well-integrated, well thought out, refined, non-gimicky implementation of a feature that I won't be able to figure out how I ever lived without.

    Like all the stuff on the S4 that everyone turns off.
    Lol
  • Reply 16 of 116
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by EricTheHalfBee View Post

     

    If Samsung does use a fingerprint sensor, then who are they licensing the technology from? Validity is one company that's pushing their technology. We have no idea what Authentec is doing since they no longer have a website up touting their wares.


     

    I believe Samsung licensed some technology from AuthenTec in the past but not the new in display technology that Apple developed and patented.  The on screen fingerprint capability will be more durable and accurate.

  • Reply 17 of 116
    Shamesuck is good at keeping a cat . This cat always punches Apple .
  • Reply 18 of 116

    It is now 5 PM in Berlin, at what time were they planning to announce?

     

    ======

     

    OK.  They plan to announce at 1:00 pm ET.  (10:00 am PT)

  • Reply 19 of 116
    Undercooked spaghetti, meet wall.
  • Reply 20 of 116
    Only difference between Samsung's fingerprint scanner and Apple's fingerprint scanner is that Apple's scanner will actually work.
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