As expected, tons of reports are now surfacing about Samsung’s next flagship, the Galaxy S9. However, one of the most intriguing questions about this smartphone is whether it will or will not come with an on-screen fingerprint reader, which Samsung have failed to put on both its previous flagship offerings.
But we know now that Samsung hadn’t give up with the idea. It was revealed that Samsung had already filed a patent for the said technology through World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) last April.
And just yesterday, Samsung’s patent was finally granted.
Fingerprint scanner applications, from the patent page
According to the patent, it seems that a smartphone (probably the next flagship offerings of Samsung) could have up to 12 pressure points on the whole screen for the fingerprint to allow secure apps, contacts, and messages. Probably the best idea to use with Samsung’s Private Mode.
If you aren’t familiar with Samsung’s Private Mode, here’s how it works: If the authentication is successful, the phone will automatically show all the apps and photos/videos (including the ones you’ve kept for Private use). If it isn’t, only a certain amount of apps and photos/videos will appear.
This will also apply to messaging apps, where some contacts and messages will not appear if the phone is not in the owner’s hands. If an app with sensitive information is clicked, like one for online banking, different screens will appear, depending on who pressed the screen.
According to industry sources, the Galaxy S9 might make its debut at CES in Las Vegas on January, although Samsung’s cycle of unveiling doesn’t dictate that. A sneak peek might happen but we might get a full glimpse of the Galaxy S9 on February. There’s still enough time to put it into the Galaxy S9, though.
We’ll be reporting more about the Galaxy S9 soon, so stay tuned for updates!
