Taking into account that fingerprint readers integrated into screens are becoming more common among mobile phones, it is expected that this technology will spread to other types of devices. And if there is a manufacturer that could be the benchmark in this regard, it is none other than Samsung. It is true that for now the manufacturer is reserving to launch its first device with a fingerprint reader integrated into the screen, but seeing the rumors related to the Galaxy S10 and the latest patent discovered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, it is clear that the Koreans will fire the starting gun very soon.
A watch with an integrated fingerprint reader
Since smart watches have become tools with which to make payments and transactions, security has become a key element with which to guarantee the user experience. Many models on the market depend on the connection to the mobile phone or a simple code that we must enter on the small screen of the device, solutions that are not perfect and that are light years ahead of any based on biometric readings.
With this handicap present, incorporating a fingerprint reader into a watch is a matter of time, and it seems that the most appropriate solution is to include one on the screen itself. In this way we would not sacrifice the design of the watch, and we would even achieve greater independence from the mobile. The idea, as shown in the patent, is to place a biometric sensor in the center of the screen that would only be activated after receiving a specific pressure on it. This pressure technology would receive the name "Touch Force" and would serve to prevent false readings that could occur on such a small screen.
A technology for watches and phones
The interesting thing about the patent is that it describes the technology as a solution available for both smartwatches and mobile phones, so we might think that, if it includes an integrated fingerprint reader, the future Galaxy S10 will have this type of solution. There is talk that it would be compatible with LCD, LED, OLED, MEMS panels and even an electronic ink panel, so it could be a solution for all types of devices.
As always happens in these cases, these types of patents do not serve to confirm anything, since they could be simple ideas reserved as a more distant future. In fact, the idea of a smartwatch with an integrated fingerprint reader from Samsung has been around for several years, so we'll see if this time it's definitive.