The Samsung Galaxy Note 8, long rumored to have a fingerprint scanner embedded into its display, may have the authentication technology at the back of the smartphone after all.
It was believed that Samsung, working with Synaptics, will be able to implement in-display fingerprint authentication on the Galaxy Note 8 by its expected release in the second half of the year. A new report, however, claims that Samsung will not have enough time.
Galaxy Note 8 Fingerprint Scanner Not Embedded In Display
In a report by Korean publication Naver, a Samsung official said that the Galaxy Note 8 will feature the same nearly bezel-less Infinity Display of the Galaxy S8. Unfortunately, that will not be the only thing that the Galaxy Note 8 will share with the Galaxy S8.
To the shock of Samsung fans, the official went on to reveal that Samsung "made every effort" to integrate the fingerprint scanner into the Galaxy Note 8's display. However, the company decided not to do so for the upcoming flagship smartphone, citing "technical limitations such as security."
Naver reported that Samsung will continue to develop and refine the solution to embed the fingerprint scanner into smartphone screen. However, users will have to wait, perhaps until the Galaxy S9, for the feature to be rolled out.
Fingerprint Scanner At The Back: Why Is It A Problem?
The Samsung Galaxy S8 is a powerhouse smartphone, but one of its most glaring mistakes is the placement of the fingerprint scanner at the back.
Samsung intended to place the fingerprint sensor underneath the Galaxy S8's screen, as part of the decision to eliminate the physical Home button and make the Infinity Display possible. However, Samsung ran out of time to solve the technology and decided to place the fingerprint scanner at the back.
The location of the fingerprint scanner at the back was the main problem, as it was placed right next to the camera lens. Tapping the fingerprint scanner feels awkward for users, and it also increased the chances that users will smudge the camera lens with their fingers.
Samsung knew about the design flaw but rushed the Galaxy S8 to market anyway to prevent any delays on the release of the smartphone. While the mistake was evident, many expected Samsung to correct it by the time that the Galaxy Note 8 was rolling out, especially after it was confirmed that rival Apple will have its Touch ID technology embedded into the display of the premium iPhone 8.
How Is The Galaxy Note 8 Shaping Up?
The Samsung official did not indicate where exactly the fingerprint scanner will be located at the back of the Galaxy Note 8, so the best that users can do is to hope that the company learned its lesson from the Galaxy S8. The fingerprint scanner could be moved further away from the camera lens, or perhaps below it to decrease the chances of smudging and to make it easier to reach.
The location of the fingerprint scanner, however, will likely not spell doom for the device. The Galaxy Note 8 is expected to be Samsung's biggest-ever flagship smartphone, with dual rear cameras and Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box. It is widely expected to allow Samsung to recover from the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, wherever the fingerprint scanner is located.
