Biometrics

Biometrics-based security systems, be it fingerprints or faces, is the trend in computing these days but not all devices are equipped with such sensors. That's especially true for desktop and even for the majority of laptops in the market. Apple has equipped some of its MacBooks with Touch IDs but that still leaves out most of the computers that it offers. Come macOS 10.15, however, that might not be an urgent need, that is if you have an Apple Watch on your wrist.

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Any new technology naturally goes through growing pains. Sometimes, those pains happen behind closed doors. Other times, it is the users that have to grit their teeth in frustration. Qualcomm's ultrasonic fingerprint sensors in the Galaxy S10 is definitely at the cutting edge but, compared to existing fingerprint sensors, it left users waiting a bit too long. Now an update addresses that pain point while Samsung remains quiet on another perhaps more critical question.

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After years of delays, Samsung finally jumped aboard the fingerprint-on-display (FoD) train but it may be costing users more than they're willing to pay. Thanks to its new "Infinity-O" punch hole display, it has made face recognition practically useless as a security feature. Now there is at least one experiment that tries to prove how its ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is actually less secure than regular optical ones.

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WhatsApp can now be locked down with Face ID on Apple's newest iPhones, allowing users of the instant messaging service to secure their chats from prying eyes. The update, released to the App Store this week, also includes support for Touch ID security on versions of the iPhone that have the fingerprint sensor.

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In-screen fingerprint scanners or fingerprint-on-display (FoD) sensors might be the future for many Android phones but their accuracy and speed compared to traditional optical sensors still leave some things to be desired. That said, we’re just at the start of innovation in this area and we might see more in the months ahead. And kicking off that next generation of FoDs is none other than Xiaomi whose upcoming phones might be equipped with this state of the art in-screen sensor.

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A magistrate judge in California has ruled that police can't compel people to unlock their phones with biometric methods like fingerprints and facial recognition. Before this ruling, biometrics weren't protected in the same way that alphanumeric passcodes are - while police can't force a suspect to give up a passcode, those rules didn't apply to biometric unlocking methods. Now, it seems, the two methods of locking and unlocking mobile devices are seen as equal in the eyes of the law (at least for the time being).

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Unlocking your smartphone by pressing your fingertip against the touchscreen is about to go mainstream, with Qualcomm revealing its new 3D Sonic Sensor technology. The latest iteration of smartphone security, it puts an ultrasonic scanner right beneath the display glass, in what Qualcomm says is a much more functional and secure way to open your phone than rival biometrics.

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The TSA wants to widely expand the use of facial recognition technology in US airports, revealing the plan in a newly published roadmap. According to the agency, this plan will "modernize" passenger screening in airports in the relatively near future, using biometric data to identify travelers while speeding up the entire screening process.

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The issue of law enforcement and their need to unlock someone's smartphone is a complicated one, both technically and ethically. It turns out Apple's Face ID devices, like the iPhone X and iPhone XS, are only making this more difficult. A new leak has revealed that a forensics company is teaching police to not look at the screens of suspects' iPhones with Face ID, in turn ensuring they get as many chances as possible to unlock the device.

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Delta has announced plans to launch the first biometric terminal in the United States, an optional experience offered to international travelers at Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal F in Atlanta, Georgia. Customers won't be forced to use this technology if they're uncomfortable with it, but rather will have it as an alternative option to reduce the amount of time spent waiting.

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Google is adding fingerprint authentication to Chrome, with the latest beta of the browser able to tap into biometric sensors like Touch ID on Apple's MacBook Pro. Chrome 70, which was released in the beta channel this week, will allow websites to use fingerprints to authenticate users looking to log-in and more.

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There are only a few remaining notable Android tablets left in the market, which gives Apple a huge advantage in that market. It might widen the gap even further if rumors of the upcoming Face ID enabled iPad Pro are true. Unsurprisingly, Samsung might try to preempt that with its upcoming Galaxy Tab S4. Also unsurprisingly, it will try to outdo that key feature. That raises the question of whether Samsung’s Intelligent Scan will be enough, especially since the tablet apparently lacks a fingerprint scanner.

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