On December 12, Synaptics (one of the biggest names in the biometric industry) announced that it was finally ready to start mass-producing the first-ever fingerprint sensor that's hidden underneath a smartphone display. Synaptics initially said that this technology would first be available on a smartphone from one of the "top 5" OEMs, and we now know that that OEM is none other than Vivo.
Synaptics is using its new Clear ID FS9500 sensor to make this all possible, and according to Forbes reporter Patrick Moorhead, using the new sensor is "fast and simple." The sensor doesn't actually turn on until you're ready to use it to help conserve battery life, and when you do go to unlock your phone, you'll see a fingerprint icon near the bottom of your phone's display.
Just put your finger on this icon (that OEMs can customize the look of) and your phone will be unlocked with the same level of security and convenience we've come to expect from sensors on current handsets.
Vivo's unnamed smartphone will be the first to market with Synaptics' Clear ID FS9500, but it shouldn't be too long after that in which we see other OEMs adopt this technology as well. It's highly unlikely Samsung will feature this technology on the Galaxy S9, but there's a very good possibility it'll make an appearance on the Note 9 later in 2018.
Synaptics announces world's first in-display fingerprint sensor, launching with a 'top 5' smartphone OEM
