Microsoft is poised to bring fingerprint support for its mobile platform as part of the upcoming Windows 10 Anniversary Update.
At the company's WinHEC conference, which focuses on emerging and latest technological developments, Microsoft delivered a presentation where a slide focused specifically on the addition of fingerprint support in Windows 10.
The WinHEC presentation [PDF] from Microsoft confirms the feature's arrival, which has been expected to be included in the Windows 10 Mobile OS, as the impending HP Elite x3 smartphone boasts a fingerprint scanner. Fingerprint support for Windows 10 Mobile will finally be released this summer and will be a part of the anniversary update.
With biometrics becoming synonymous with mobile devices, it seems a natural step for Microsoft to imbibe this technology into its mobile platform.
Interestingly, in 2012, Microsoft Windows added support for biometrics. Older Windows OS' supported the WBF or Windows Biometric Framework, which essentially makes the support of fingerprint readers possible.
The arrival of Windows 10 marked the introduction of the Windows Hello feature, which offers a secured and personal experience for desktop users. The device's authentication happens in the user's presence. Thanks to this feature, a user can simply log in to their device with a mere touch or look by deploying fingerprint or facial recognition.
In 2015, Microsoft added support for Windows Hello facial authentication to the Windows 10 Mobile.
As the slide above notes, Windows Hello will include support for fingerprint scanners/readers for mobile post the summer update. The Windows 10 Mobile platform will deploy the same code and drivers, which Windows Hello uses for desktops. The only difference of the integration would be that it would be "recompiled" for the ARM architecture.
Microsoft also outlines two challenges for integrating fingerprint reading namely:
- Requires working with ODM to build BSPs.
- Some IHVs already have experience in this area (ex. FPC, Synaptics), while others don't. So, those IHVs will need to work closely with QC and the ODM to understand how to integrate their driver into a mobile BSP for Windows Phone.
With fingerprint support for Windows Mobile 10 OS set to become available in Summer 2016, fans of the OS can look forward to some interesting smartphone offerings from Microsoft.
Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns | Flickr
