Fingerprint detector: what they are and what they are for

Although there is some discrepancy about which smartphone was the first to incorporate the fingerprint detector, it seems that the first mobile phone to incorporate this technology was the Pantech Gl100 in 2004. However, all its utility was taken away in 2013, with the arrivals of the HTC One Max and the iPhone 5s.

They have come a long way since then, so next we'll tell you all about the fingerprint detector. Let's get started!

Index of contents

What is the fingerprint detector?

It is a sensor that serves as a recognition system for the identity of the telephone user thanks to fingerprints. As of today, it can be located on the front of the phone, on the back, on the side and under the screen.

Since 2013, it has become a standard in the world of smartphones because it was a very fast method of unlocking a phone. Not only was it designed to allow the phone to recognize the identity of the user, but later we will see that there are many additional functions.

Sony was the forerunner of incorporating the fingerprint detector on the side of its devices because it was looking for a system that was as intuitive and comfortable as possible. On the other hand, Apple and Samsung would bet on the sensor on the front in their models.

That said, it cannot be said that the first to standardize this sensor were Apple, Samsung or HTC, but rather that many analysts point out that the Toshiba G500 was the first to standardize this technology in 2007.

Finally, in the case of Apple, the Touch ID will no longer be used, but the Cupertino brand has opted for facial recognition.

What is it for?

It is a sensor that is mainly used to unlock the phone with our fingerprint, but we can find many additional functions that can make this recognition system very useful.

It is a sensor that seeks to add security to your phone, such as boosting certain functions that it makes possible thanks to its gestures. The functions of the sensor will vary according to the manufacturer of the smartphone, although through an application it is possible to enjoy them.

Control apps

There are applications with which we can take advantage of this sensor as a shortcut, such as the following:

Camera, to take a photo or start recording a video Gallery, to navigate between the menus or to pass photos Browsers, to change the tab or window Music player, to pause, change or play songs Lock applications

Hang up or answer calls

It is possible to hang up or answer a call by posing our finger on the fingerprint detector, which can make things much easier, as well as complicate them. Everything will depend on where the sensor is located and how easy it is to access it, something that does not happen in a Galaxy S8, for example.

Payment applications

As in the case of Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, to pay with our smartphone we have to put our fingerprint as a synonym for identification. Anyway, you can pay perfectly by entering the PIN, but using the fingerprint detector we get a faster experience.

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Navigation

We can navigate between the applications using the fingerprint sensor gestures, something that seems not to have caught on among users because it is always more intuitive and natural to do it in the conventional way. Anyway, this will depend on the launcher of our phone.

On-screen fingerprint detector

This is the evolution of the conventional fingerprint reader, eliminating the "gap" or the "home" button of some smartphones. It emerged with the appearance of "infinite screens" as a solution to take advantage of the entire front of the terminal and use it as a screen.

It began to be implemented in the phones that were coming out in 2018, as is the case of the Samsung Galaxy S10, the Huawei P30 Pro, the OnePlus 7 Pro or the Xiaomi Mi A3. Not surprisingly, some on-screen fingerprint detectors work better than others, but their design problem runs into screen protectors, although it seems to have been fixed on certain models.

The first smartphone to incorporate this technology was the Vivo X20 Plus.

Now you know what a fingerprint detector is and what it is for. If you have any questions, we would love you to leave them to us below because we love to read them and we appreciate your feedback.

What functions of the fingerprint detector do you use? Which one do you like the most?