AMS partners China’s Face++ for facial recognition on Android devices

Austrian sensor specialist AMS is to team up with Chinese software manufacturer Face++ to produce new 3D facial recognition features for smartphones, boosting its shares more than 10% on Monday.

AMS already provides Apple with optical sensors for 3D facial recognition features on its newest iPhones. Lower than expected demand for these phones, especially in China, has put pressure on AMS recently.

Technological challenges have made it difficult for AMS to diversify into Android phones. But the tie-up with Face++, in which the Chinese firm provides software to process the optical data provided by AMS's sensors, will potentially help to overcome these difficulties and reduce AMS's dependency on Apple.

"By linking our 3D sensing systems with Face++ technology, we are enabling manufacturers to add these popular features to their products quickly and smoothly," AMS's Executive Vice-President & General Manager for Optical Sensor Solutions, Ulrich Huewels, said.

"Together, AMS and Face++ are showing that 3D sensing solutions are ready for the mainstream now in every market sector, from consumer to automotive, medical and industrial electronics."

AMS's Swiss-listed shares gained as much as 11.8% in early trade and were still up 6.2% at 20.01 Swiss Francs at 0852 GMT. The company's shares fell 75% last year.