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Report: Samsung to adopt Qualcomm’s in-display fingerprint sensor on Galaxy S10, ‘high-end’ A-series, Note 10

Samsung is largely expected to switch from a physical fingerprint sensor to one under the display on its upcoming Galaxy S10. This week, a new report is giving us a bit more insight on the company’s plans, and how it could affect other devices in the future.

Rumors of Samsung using an in-display fingerprint sensor on one of its devices are truly nothing new. The company has been rumored for years to go down this path, but the technology simply hasn’t been able to meet Samsung’s demands. Now, things are shaping up for the Galaxy S10 to adopt this feature.

Backing up previous reports, TF Securities’ Ming Chi Kuo predicts that Samsung will be delivering three Galaxy S10 models, one of which will have a side-mounted fingerprint sensor on board. The other two models, however, will use an in-display sensor, apparently supplied by Qualcomm.

We expect Samsung will promote the ultrasonic FOD aggressively starting from 2019. Shipments of models equipped with this function are likely to reach 60mn units; specifically, the high-end S10 models, the most high-end model of A series and Note 10, which have the high screen-to-body ratio, will likely adopt this function.

That ultra-sonic sensor was announced over a year ago but has yet to arrive in any mainstream devices. Apparently, though, its use in the Galaxy S10 could result in up to 60 million units being shipped next year. While the Galaxy S10 will make up the bulk of those shipments, Kuo also expects the company to use this same technology in the Galaxy Note 10, as well as a “high-end” A-series device.

The report goes on to break down expected sales of Samsung’s coming devices. The Galaxy S10 leads the group here, with the high-end models selling around 34-36 million of the 40 million total which is forecasted. This “high-end” A-series device is forecasted to sell around 6-8 million units, with the Note 10 rounding out the 60 million total for Qualcomm’s sensors with 14-16 million units forecasted to be sold in 2019.

Alongside of this report, well-known Samsung tipster Ice Universe has quoted DJ Koh, stating that Samsung has waited this long to use an in-display fingerprint sensor because an optical sensor isn’t the best user experience.

9to5Google’s Take

Samsung has been seeing lower sales year-by-year with its flagship, and I still think a big part of this is because the company’s devices aren’t leading the pack anymore. They’ve simply become really good smartphones surrounded by a ton of other really good smartphones. Taking risks on new, innovative features like the first mass-market in-display fingerprint sensor feels almost like a return to form for Samsung from a few years ago. Hopefully, the lessons the company has clearly learned over the years will provide us with some truly great new devices.


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