Fingerprint and the future Android

The fingerprint sensor has long ceased to be an element of science fiction films. In this short article, we get acquainted with the opinion on the prospects of technology in context Android.

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For several years there has been no technology on the market whose presence on the list of technical specifications would distinguish the latest devices from their predecessors. 'Must-have' functionality is often limited to ephemeral parameters such as camera usability and feel-good design. Fingerprint sensors today have become an exception to the rule: they draw a clear line between gadgets of past generations from new smartphones at the hardware level.

2015 is a very good year for these sensors. First, all companies have figured out how to make or buy really fast and accurate sensors. Last year, more or less workable sensors were installed only in devices Huawei and Apple, and now we have much more devices at our disposal: Samsung Galaxy S6, HTC One A9 and M9 +, Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact, LG V10. A lot of good fingerprint sensors have suddenly appeared in the world, two of which are found in the Nexus 6P and 5X. Therein lies another breakthrough for technology: fingerprint authentication is now being promoted by Google. New devices in the Nexus lineup have always followed the development vector Android and Google made fingerprint scanners a proprietary feature in Android 6.0.

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Similar to its predecessors, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, Google's Android Pay fingerprint reader will make mobile payments fast and secure. Each of these services is still in its experimental stage of development, but thanks to the availability of appropriate technology, the time has come when contactless mobile payments and biometric identification may become generally available. Google's involvement in this process means that the two leading platforms in the market now have a similar approach, and the company's tough position in terms of accuracy and sensor security requirements in Android 6.0 (false identification rate should not exceed 0.002%) should ensure the quality of his work.

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Mobile payments and security

Payments are the most obvious use for fingerprint scanners, but the convenience of such a payment method is often overlooked. Services like Apple Pay will be more revolutionary, as they can very easily become a familiar part of the daily routine, be it buying coffee or products. As soon as a payment system from Samsung, Apple or Google appears in your life, you can still return to your usual payment method, but not the fact that you want to.

The same will happen in the situation with biometric authentication. Once you get used to a smartphone with a fast and reliable sensor, other people's 'exercise' with PIN codes and pattern unlocking will feel like anachronism. Every day we turn on our devices hundreds of times, and frankly, finger gymnastics to check for Twitter mentions is somewhat masochistic. Also, representatives of the current generation of fingerprint sensors are so stunningly fast that the user does not have time to notice the process of switching to the main home screen from the lock screen. And it actually opens our eyes to how biometric authentication is turning the lock screen into a useless idea and could eventually make it disappear. Nexus Imprint is capable of unlocking your smartphone faster than taking it out of your pocket. This nature of the sensor's operation has great potential: for example, for creating more informative notifications or a separate page for them instead of the usual notifications. Or another option: switching from a corporate profile to a personal one, depending on which finger is used to unlock. Technically, Touch ID and Nexus Imprint are very good, but they also drive creative projects and innovation in the future.

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Companies that do not use such scanners in their devices (well-known examples – Microsoft, Motorola) lose a lot because of this step. The Moto X Style is a great smartphone, but it will never be the best. does not provide a complete Android user experience that Google has tied to the fingerprint reader. If you take an example of the upcoming update of the Lumia line, then the lack of such a scanner does not fit well with the promised advanced 'stuffing' and flawless camera performance. Instead of a fingerprint Microsoft, it uses a retinal scan to unlock the new Lumia 950/950 XL devices, although the first option would be preferable in the context of launching its own payment system.

For most of this year, fingerprint sensors have been a nice addition, an advantage for more expensive smartphones, and not a loss for owners of budget segment devices. In connection with the active promotion of Google's idea of ​​the need for such functionality, the situation is rapidly changing. As new devices based on Android 6.0 enter the market, the number of scenarios for using the fingerprint scanner will grow rapidly. It is for this reason that your next smartphone is desirable, perhaps, must be equipped with a similar scanner.

Original material, author – Vlad Savov.

Elir: my first close acquaintance with the fingerprint sensor took place quite recently, when switching to SGN 4. A good idea, but the implementation is not entirely correct, in my opinion, a large percentage of errors and the speed could be faster. Nevertheless, I use a scanner, I'm already used to it and actually get bored of entering numbers to unlock (there is no scanner on the tablet). A very interesting idea about linking a specific operating mode to a specific fingerprint, BYOD supporters will be very happy about this innovation. So, the fingerprint scanner: a marketing ploy or is it really an innovation and a breakthrough in security?

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