Samsung, LG Reportedly Adopting In-Display Fingerprint Sensors For Future Phones

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are adopting in-display fingerprint sensors for their new smartphones that are launching next year.

Beijing-based research and investing information company SigmaIntell disclosed to Digitimes Friday that South Korean phone makers are very likely to debut phones with in-display fingerprint sensors in 2019.

The company made the assumption after learning that global shipments of the sensors are expected to reach 42 million units this year. Optical models are likely to account for a larger portion of the shipments. On the other hand, ultrasonic models will trail behind due to the adoption of Korean-based vendors.

SigmaIntell also believes that the in-display fingerprint sensors will become a standard for mid- to high-end smartphones next year. Hence, global shipments are predicted to top over 100 million units.

Prior the unveiling of the Galaxy Note 9 on Thursday, many were hoping for Samsung to equip the phablet with an in-display fingerprint scanner. However, this did not happen, with industry sources claiming that the tech giant is saving this new feature for the upcoming Galaxy S10, which is set to launch in early 2019.

TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said last month that two out of the rumored three models of the S10 are going to feature ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensors from Qualcomm. Samsung has allegedly chosen to use ultrasonic sensors instead of optical ones because the former provides a better user experience.

Meanwhile, it’s not clear yet which upcoming LG handset will be the first one to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor. The company is currently gearing up for the launch of its V40 ThinQ handset, but there’s no solid evidence to prove that the flagship device will come with such an advanced technology. It’s possible that it wouldn’t and LG would reserve in-display fingerprint readers for its smartphones that are launching next year.

In-display fingerprint sensors have to be equipped with OLED panels, so shipments of OLED displays for smartphones are also expected to reach new heights. Samsung Display is still the top player when it comes to OLED panels for smartphones, so the tech giant will all the more benefit from the industry’s shift to in-display fingerprint sensors.