Jan. 25 (NBD) -- China's smartphone producer Vivo released its Vivo X20 Plus UD on Wednesday, which first adopts Synaptics' optical fingerprint sensor.

As the facial recognition, rear fingerprint or a combination of two plans can't satisfy users, the in-display fingerprint is considered to be a good solution for the all full screen mobile phones. 

Since Apple published its all screen mobile phone iPhone X, full display has become the new key words in current smartphone industry as well as the highland which all phone manufacturers compete for. 

NBD noticed that almost all the smartphone brands have unveiled their full-display phones, including Xiaomi's Mi Mix 2, Samsung's Galaxy Note 8, Vivo's X20, Huawei's Mate 10 and Oppo's R11s.

Photo/Shetuwang

According to a report from Ping An Securities, all screen mobile phones have a penetration rate of 8 percent in the smartphone market, with the shipment of 110 million to 130 million. The second-generation all screen applied on iPhone X will be equipped in more smartphones in mid-2018, followed by a number of new techniques, such as wireless charging, optical fingerprint and facial recognition.

While the full display is becoming the mainstream in the smartphone market, enterprises along the industrial chain are required to meet higher standards and greater challenges. The widespread fingerprint technology will face numerous difficulties when it comes to the all screen smartphones which are designed to reach a higher screen-to-body ratio. 

Facing the questions about whether and where to put the fingerprint button on mobiles, the new models chose to adopt facial recognition, real fingerprint or in combination. 

However, known as Apple's new flagship, iPhone X was criticized for its unlock function. The Face ID, Apple's 3D facial recognition technology replaced fingerprinting to be the major way of authentication. But the safety and usability of facial recognition with 3D scanning is still debatable.

Apple indicated that Face ID may not work for those users who are twins or under 13 years old.

Some insiders hold the view that Apple could make facial recognition a new mainstream like the fingerprint now. But another senior insider thought that Face ID technology can't be achieved in China until the third quarter of 2018.

Besides, it is uncertain whether such technology will be a leading unlock approach. The producers now move the fingerprint sensor to the back of their smartphones and this caused disaffection and made the models less beautiful. 

Therefore, the in-display fingerprint recognition is regarded as the best solution for the full-display mobiles. The fingerprint sensor that sits under the display module of the smartphones enables users to unlock their phone by touching the screen. The new technology will keep the fingerprint scanner on the front while removing the home button from the full screen. 

Apart from Vivo, Goodix also plans to publish its new phone with in-display fingerprint scanner this year.

Sun Yanbiao, head of the N1mobile Research Institute, noted that though with some shortcomings, Apple's Face ID has large potentials. It leaves the market to choose between Face ID and fingerprint recognition or the combination of both, Sun added. 

Email: zhanglingxiao@nbd.com.cn