Fingerprint sensors are not exactly a new feature to grace our phones. They have been around for a quite some time, with one of the first commercial Android smartphone to bear it being the Motorola Atrix 4G, way back in 2011, even predating the launch of the first Samsung Galaxy Note.
Motorola Atrix 4G
But one thing unanimous with fingerprint sensors, a talking point that has remained relevant from their start to their current forms, is how they blend in with the design of the phone. In the case of the Motorola Atrix 4G, the fingerprint scanner doubled up as the power button, but the placement of this button scanner gave the phone a very distinguished look in its prime time.
Even with current smartphones, OEMs have to make a decision on where they want to place the fingerprint scanner. Many have opted for placing it on the back of the device, some have opted for clubbing it on the side mounted power button. Samsung preferred to incorporate the fingerprint scanner onto the home button, which has remained a staple on Samsung devices. Some OEMs even went so far to add a home button on the front just to tuck away the fingerprint scanner. With this latest news, these manufacturers may have no more reason to add in a home button anymore.
LG Innotek’s latest innovation is a fingerprint sensor module that is placed beneath the glass. This module removes the requirement of having a raised button on the front of the device to act as the fingerprint sensor. LG achieved this by creating a shallow furrow on the back of the glass and installing the fingerprint sensor in there. This sensor does not directly come into contact with your finger due to the glass layer, and still manages to boast of similar recognition rates.
With the home button no longer a necessary evil for a front fingerprint scanner, OEMs will now be free to experiment with sleeker and more-minimalist phone designs. It will also allow manufacturers to opt for waterproofing and scratch resistant solutions that some had to forego in lieu of the fingerprint scanner button. It will also allow more OEMs to jump back onto using the Navigation Bar instead of capacitive buttons.
As mentioned to Korea Times, LG is in talks with some handset manufacturers to commercialize the new module within the year. So, we might see smartphones with this button-less fingerprint tech by the end of 2016.
What do you think of LG Innotek’s Button-less Fingerprint Sensor Module? Would you like a minimalistic-front smartphone with a front fingerprint scanner, or do you prefer clubbing the functionality with a home button? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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