Galaxy S21 secret weapon is big, fast, only needs a tap

By Chris Burns/

The Samsung Galaxy S21 will advance beyond its predecessors with new tech and newer versions of old tech. One example of this upgrade system is the fingerprint sensor, which today we've learned will be both larger and faster than that of the Galaxy S20. This fingerprint scanner will continue to be housed on the front of the device, within the display.

NOTE: Imagery above comes from what appeared to be an official teaser leaked earlier this week by Android Police. We're expecting that the devices will come in Black, Gray, and Violet.

We've seen the designs of the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra. It's clear that the backs of these devices do not have room for a fingerprint scanner. Or, at least, they do not MAKE room for a fingerprint scanner. Instead, they've opted to continue planting a fingerprint sensor up front, with in-screen ultrasonic fingerprint sensor technology.

Per the latest leak from insider Ice Universe, the Samsung Galaxy S21 will work with a fingerprint sensor that's 1.77-times larger than its immediate predecessor. At 8 x 8mm, this fingerprint reader might not seem particularly massive. But the size and the processing power behind this next-generation fingerprint sensor make it fast enough and smart enough to appear as a feature-worthy bit of tech.

It looks likely that the fingerprint sensor processing will once again be taken care of by Qualcomm. The Samsung Galaxy S20 family worked with the Qualcomm QBT2000 3D Sonic Sensor controller, and the next-gen device will more than likely work with an upgraded iteration of this system.

Activating the fingerprint sensor in the Galaxy S21 will require pretty much the same process as it's been with the last few devices. If the user doesn't work with the biometric lock system at initial setup, they'll need to head to Settings – Biometrics and Security – Fingerprint. From there it'll explain itself.

We're expecting the Samsung Galaxy S21 event to take place in early January, 2021. The release date for the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra will more than likely be January 29th in North America, Asia, and Europe.

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