Samsung to ape Apple's Touch ID with touch-style fingerprint sensor in 'Galaxy S6' - report
Samsung's next flagship smartphone will ship with a Touch ID-like fingerprint sensor in place of the swipe-style sensor that the company employed on the underwhelming Galaxy S5, according to a new report.
In practice, the new fingerprint system is said to work much like Apple's Touch ID, reading the user's fingerprint without requiring them to swipe. Samsung will enlarge the home button on its so-called "Galaxy S6" in order to accommodate the larger touch-style sensor, notes usually reliable blog SamMobile.
Galaxy S5 users have been largely dissatisfied with the handset's fingerprint sensor, complaining of inaccuracy and bemoaning the precise finger movement required to register a complete scan. In contrast, Apple's solution has been widely praised for its ease-of-use.
It is unclear who Samsung will tap to supply the touch-style sensor. Apple acquired biometric authentication firm Authentec --?which invented the technology that underpins Touch ID --?for $356 million in 2012, then shut down all outside sales.
Samsung could turn to Swedish company Fingerprint Cards, which fabricates a similar sensor found in Huawei's Ascend Mate 7. That unit has received favorable reviews from Mate 7 users as well as technology journalists.
The Galaxy S6 is expected to make its debut at March's annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
In practice, the new fingerprint system is said to work much like Apple's Touch ID, reading the user's fingerprint without requiring them to swipe. Samsung will enlarge the home button on its so-called "Galaxy S6" in order to accommodate the larger touch-style sensor, notes usually reliable blog SamMobile.
Galaxy S5 users have been largely dissatisfied with the handset's fingerprint sensor, complaining of inaccuracy and bemoaning the precise finger movement required to register a complete scan. In contrast, Apple's solution has been widely praised for its ease-of-use.
It is unclear who Samsung will tap to supply the touch-style sensor. Apple acquired biometric authentication firm Authentec --?which invented the technology that underpins Touch ID --?for $356 million in 2012, then shut down all outside sales.
Samsung could turn to Swedish company Fingerprint Cards, which fabricates a similar sensor found in Huawei's Ascend Mate 7. That unit has received favorable reviews from Mate 7 users as well as technology journalists.
The Galaxy S6 is expected to make its debut at March's annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Comments
Samsung could turn to Swedish company Fingerprint Cards, which fabricates a similar sensor found in Huawei's Ascend Mate 7. That unit has received favorable reviews from Mate 7 users as well as technology journalists.
Does it mean Apple can only sue Fingerprint Cards but not Samsung?
Did Apple ape the Galaxy Note when they released the 6 Plus?
I'm sure you're completely aware that, unlike one-touch bio-metric authentication, large screen "phablets" have existed prior to the Note series...
Did Apple ape the Galaxy Note when they released the 6 Plus?
LOL, I guess making a larger screen is some kind of innovation, right?
In any case, Samsung wasn't the first to come out with a large screen phone. HTC first did it LONG before Note.
LOL, I guess making a larger screen is some kind of innovation, right?
In any case, Samsung wasn't the first to come out with a large screen phone. HTC first did it LONG before Note.
Not to mention Apple, who released a then-huge 3.5" phone.
Samsung know good phone design when they see it. Copy Copy Copy Apple again !
Except Samsung is still stuck with spyware android.
But buying Blackberry may bury Samsung.
Then that may be just a BB rumor to excite the poor BB shareholders.
Don't you ever get bored hanging out on an Apple enthusiast's blog constantly saying silly things?
I don't see how they would be able to do this without touching Apple's patents.
Going to their website reveals a technology that on the surface looks very very similar to Apple's. It will interesting to see what happens in this space.
Apple doesn't own a patent on one-touch fingerprint sensors. Though they likely have several on the underlying technology. If Samsung makes a new sensor with a different technology they'll be OK.
The real question is can you make one as good as Touch ID without violating any Apple/Authentc IP?
Even funnier is what the haters will say when Samsung effectively abandons swipe for touch. That's basically admitting Apples is better.
What does copying have to do with innovation? I never said a larger screen phone was "innovative" but the fact is Samsung had one before Apple did so in that sense Apple is the one copying, no?
What does copying have to do with innovation? I never said a larger screen phone was "innovative" but the fact is Samsung had one before Apple did so in that sense Apple is the one copying, no?
No. Because the original iPhone's 3.5" display was considered huge when it was introduced. Everyone else whose mobile/smart phone displays were smaller quickly adopted the bigger is better mentality, resulting in larger and larger displays as time went by. How is it that the originator of a trend is later thought to be copying those who happened to follow that trend to its extreme limits?
No what's silly is every time someone else does something people here immediately claim Apple's being copied. I can guarantee you if Apple released a 5.5" phone and two years later Samsung did the same most here would've called Samsung out for copying. Plus there's plenty of thiings in iOS that Apple borrowed either from jailbreak community or other platforms. Third party keyboards, extensions, widgets, actionable notifications all existed on Android before they did on iOS. What bothers me is blatant copying like that new tablet from Nokia that looks exactly like an iPad mini. Or some of the stuff Samsung used to do and Xiaomi is currently doing.
People still think this?
So why did Apple follow that trend to its extreme limits then? Especially when with the iPhone 5 it was all about being able to comfortably use it with one hand. That certainly doesn't apply to the 6 Plus.