Samsung Galaxy S10 In-Display Fingerprint Reader ‘Confirmed’ According To South Korean Media

Looks like Samsung’s successor to this year’s Galaxy S9 will indeed come with a new biometric feature. South Korean media are claiming that the tech giant’s upcoming Galaxy S10 is more or less “confirmed” to arrive with an in-display fingerprint reader.

On Wednesday, Korean-language news outlet Etnews reported that Samsung Electronics will indeed outfit the Galaxy S10 with an in-display fingerprint sensor. The site also noted that the inclusion of such a technology will allow Samsung to come up with a full screen or bezel-less smartphone.

The outlet claimed that Samsung may have been very cautious about adopting an in-display fingerprint scanner, but it decided that it couldn’t postpone this feature any longer since its Chinese rivals, including Huawei, are already releasing handsets with such advanced technology.

Industry sources allegedly told local media that Samsung has already confirmed the adoption of the in-display fingerprint reader on the Galaxy S10, which is scheduled to launch early next year. Samsung has reportedly started preparations with Samsung Display and its partner, Qualcomm.

To make the fingerprint sensor work, Samsung Display will collaborate with Qualcomm to combine OLED display panels with ultrasonic sensors. The sensors will be attached onto the back of the display panel, and the setup will be responsible for reading the fingerprint of the user whenever a fingertip is placed on the front surface of the panel.

According to Sammobile, Samsung may have opted to use the ultrasonic sensor over the optical in-display fingerprint sensor that Chinese manufacturers are using because the former is more accurate than the latter. The ultrasonic sensor transmits an ultrasonic pulse against the finger to map the ridges and pores unique to each fingerprint. This results to a more accurate 3D reproduction of the fingerprint.

The Galaxy S10 — the 10th anniversary installment in the S series —is believed to be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2019. Samsung is then expected to introduce its highly anticipated foldable phone at the Mobile World Congress the following month.