New iPhones will miss out on a feature that Vivo, Xiaomi already have

Ahead of the launch of new iPhones on September 12, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has predicted that in-display fingerprint sensor technology will not be part of the devices anytime soon.

In-display fingerprint scanner is a newer way of unlocking the phone where the fingerprint sensor is embedded with the screen of the phone, making way for higher screen-to-body ratio. For instance, Vivo Nex comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor with no notch at all. Earlier this year, Chinese smartphone maker Vivo launched its "X21" smartphone with the first ever in-display fingerprint scanner. Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition and Huawei Porsche Design Mate RS also offer this feature.

Apple's decision to skip in-display fingerprint sensor may force the newer iPhones behind the trend. The analyst however, predicts the adoption of in-display sensor technology by Samsung with its "Galaxy S10" update in the first quarter of 2019.

Kuo believes that "Fingerprint On Display (FOD)" technology will grow 500 per cent in 2019 as Android phones continue to adopt the technology, and that Apple won't be embedding Touch ID in new iPhones next fall," 9to5Mac reported on Tuesday.

In Kuo's new research note, whole-screen sensing is highlighted as the last stage in FOD's adoption, expected later next year, which will be advancement from the current spot-sensing FOD that requires users to touch a specific part of a screen to interact.

But skipping in-display fingerprint sensor may not be that bad for Apple.

"Kuo argues that Apple's facial recognition technology as a biometric security solution is serving the iPhone line well and Android phones instead will serve as the testbed for steadily improving FOD technology," the report added.

(With inputs from IANS)