Samsung Galaxy S8 Rumors: Facial Recognition For Payments Could Be Included On Device

The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone will utilize its facial recognition technology to assist with mobile payment processing, according to a report from Bloomberg.

Read: Samsung Galaxy S8 Could Come With Facial Recognition Technology Instead Of An Iris Scanner

As Bloomberg notes, the S8’s facial recognition technology will work alongside the smartphone’s rear fingerprint sensor and iris sensor to process payments via Samsung Pay. The combination of all three features is intended to compensate for their respective gaps: while iris technology works well without needing lots of ambient light, facial recognition sensors work faster at recognizing your facial features.

Facial recognition on the Galaxy S8 was initially speculated at earlier this month, but Bloomberg ’s report is the first indication on how thorough the technology’s integration with the new smartphone will be. As smartphone companies work to separate their models from the competition, facial recognition is a feature that’s also seen increasing interest from developers. An Apple patent from March hints at how the company is exploring its own applications for facial recognition tech.

Read: iPhone Facial Recognition Technology Detailed In New Apple Patent

For smartphone companies, facial recognition is a potential next step to streamline the login process for users. From pin numbers to swipe patterns to fingerprint sensors, companies have gradually cut down the time needed to log into your phone. As for Samsung, the potential upsides of a phone that could quickly see your face and log in without needing physical input — and that could use this info for other applications — are numerous.

Like with past Samsung smartphones, the Galaxy S8 is expected to come in standard and deluxe-sized Edge variants. The Galaxy S8 phone series was teased at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this year and is expected to be available in April.