Ming-Chi Kuo: Apple not interested in in-display fingerprint sensors, for now

Respected smartphone market analyst Ming-Chui Kuo does not expect Apple to follow Android’s lead and use in-display fingerprint sensors in either this or next year’s iPhone lineup.

According to a research note written by the analyst (via 9to5 Mac), Apple is happy to continue using the Face ID tech found in the iPhone X instead of adopting in-display sensors. Kuo also suggested that Apple is looking at Android as a testbed for in-display fingerprint technology.

Despite this, Kuo expects use of the technology to grow 500 percent in 2019, as more Android manufacturers begin to adopt it. The analyst previously said that he expects Samsung to use in-display sensors in both its Galaxy S and Galaxy A series phones, which would likely bring the tech to a large audience.

A final prediction from Kuo is that Android manufacturers could begin to use full-screen sensors from late next year. This would allow users to unlock their phone by pressing anywhere on the screen, not just on a specific area, like in current implementations. The analyst believes this would be the final step in the adoption of the technology.

Should Ming-Chui Kuo’s predictions be correct — he’s highly respected as an Apple analyst — Apple could cede Android competitors the lead in an important area of user experience. Recent rumors have suggested that Samsung is working on 3D facial recognition technology of its own for the Galaxy S10, meaning Samsung’s flagship could have both an in-display fingerprint sensor and a Face ID equivalent.

However, both the 2019 iPhone and the Galaxy S10 are a long way from being released, so nothing is yet certain about either device.

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