Samsung sparked a revolution when it introduced the iris scanner in the Galaxy Note 7. The feature was warmly welcomed by consumers around the world who have supposedly been demanding a security feature like this for ages. To much dismay, however, the Note 7 didn’t pan out well for Samsung and for consumers. The Note 7 fiasco triggered one of the biggest smartphones recalls in the 21st century. Later on, Samsung identified the issue to be associated with the mobile’s battery heating up during charging.
The iris scanner was one of the most-liked features of the Note 7, thus serving as the cause behind Samsung retaining the feature for its next flagship – the Galaxy S8. The S8’s fingerprint scanner, placed right beneath the back camera lead to a decrease in the number of times people used their fingerprint to securely access their phone. Alternatively, they started using the iris scanner to do the said task.
On the other hand, a news has emerged quoting that Samsung might disband the iris scanner in the upcoming Galaxy S10. The Bell, a Korean publication has released a story regarding Samsung’s plan to ditch the iris scanner in favor of an in-display fingerprint sensor. Industry analysts have commented that Samsung has had over 2 years to develop the technology required to power an in-display sensor and now is the best time to launch it considering Vivo and Xiaomi have introduced the features in their phones already. Delaying the launch now would equate to Samsung being outrun by both of the firms mentioned above (for now, at least).
Another possibility is for Samsung to introduce 3D-sensing front cameras, which could improve the intelligent scan feature. The intelligent scan is considered to be a competitor of Apple’s Face ID and given the level of success Apple has attained from Face ID, industry analysts had long predicted Samsung to clone the feature.
It’s important to note here that the iris scanner has not been successful in keeping intruders out everytime. Hackers were able to access an S8 using a high-resolution image and a pair of contact lenses a month after the release of the smartphone. So, an in-display sensor and a 3D face recognition; good enough alternatives for the iris scanner?
