Although Apple replaced the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone/iPad with the Face ID face recognition solution, few competitors in the Android camp are willing to follow up. In order to increase the screen-to-body ratio on the front of the fuselage, Android smartphone manufacturers are more willing to adopt an under-screen fingerprint solution. Facts have proved that consumers are more accepting of this program, and can avoid the inconvenience of facial recognition when wearing masks.
Interestingly, a new patent that was exposed recently suggests that Touch ID may return on the new iPhone. There were several reports earlier that Apple is working hard to bring the Touch fingerprint recognition solution back to the iPhone in the form of an under-screen sensor.
Although it is not clear whether the upcoming iPhone 13 will be adopted, this feature is still more practical than the Face ID face recognition solution for people who wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In fact, before the release of the iPhone X, Apple was already exploring under-screen fingerprint sensor technology. According to documents published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Apple has studied optical, ultrasonic, and even more complex under-screen fingerprint solutions.
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At present, the above-mentioned technology has been widely adopted in the Android camp. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra model uses the latest technology from Qualcomm. Current optical sensors generally use screen backlight to map user fingerprints, but because light must pass through the screen, the speed and effectiveness of this process may be low, so some Android manufacturers have also chosen more advanced 3D ultrasonic solutions.
As for Apple, in mid-August 2020, the company filed another patent application entitled “Off-axis light-based fingerprint sensor under the screen”, which is characterized by adopting a set of new solutions that can alleviate the problems of “low luminous flux and diffraction”.
By implanting a filter with a certain angle between the screen and the sensor to capture the fingerprint image, it can improve the contrast of the fingerprint imprint while maintaining the compactness of the entire sensor system.
Interestingly, Apple claims that this technology can be used on a variety of OLED screen devices that require an under-screen fingerprint sensor solution, without explicitly mentioning “only for iPhone”.
There are also rumors that Apple may soon launch tablets and laptops with OLED and mini-LED screens. As for whether the iPhone will take the lead in adopting an under-screen fingerprint solution, it remains to be tested.
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