ERGO app makes it possible unlock a phone with your ear

When it comes to keeping your phone safe from prying eyes or would-be thieves, using a lock screen is a must-have security practice. There are plenty of different kinds of unlocking methods to choose from including pins, patterns, face unlock and a traditional password. We are also starting to see a few newer alternative methods like fingerprint scanners and eventually even iris scanning technology.

Adding one more to the list, the ERGO app brings us the ability to unlock your phone using your ear. Yes, you read that correctly.

The new ‘patent pending’ biometric authentication application scans your ear upon initial set-up and creates a profile for it that is then stored on your handset. When you lift your phone to your ear, it verifies everything and then let’s you in. Certainly a unique way to log-on, at least if it works as intended.

While the app has a few positive reviews, at least one Reddit user notes that after setting up the app they couldn’t get it to work, though they were able to still use their PIN to get in. It’s possible that the user simply misconfigured something during the initial setup, but it is important to keep in mind that results seem to vary with ERGO.

ERGO is available directly from Google Play, for a price of $3.99. What do you think of the idea of unlocking your handset with your ear? Intrigued, or do you feel it’s nothing more than a gimmick and not a solid security practice?