The magic touch: Why more smartphones are adopting Ultrasonic Fingerprint SensorsSmartphonesMobile3D Sonic Sensor

Did you know your fingerprint can help to keep your personal information safer and more secure? At Qualcomm Technologies our engineers recognize how vital it is to access all the important information on your smartphone quickly and in a security-rich way - and they've created fingerprint sensor technology that can help you unlock your phone with a single touch , while helping to keep your device more secure.

In recent years, our 3D Sonic fingerprint sensors have revolutionized the way original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) integrate accessibility and restrict access into smartphones. And the Qualcomm 3D Sonic Gen 2 raises the bar on how fingerprint sensing technology enhances smartphone user experiences.

While no two fingerprints are alike between the 8 billion people in this world, those who have a photocopy of your fingerprint can still unlock devices that use more primitive fingerprint sensors - but this isn't the case with devices that have the Qualcomm 3D Sonic Gen 2. Instead of traditional photo scans, the Qualcomm 3D Sonic Gen 2 sensor transmits an ultrasonic pulse against the finger, using sound waves to read the valleys and ridges unique to your specific fingerprint.

When everything is on our phones

Mobile devices play a significant role in our lives and this will only increase as our latest Snapdragon mobile platforms make our devices smarter with on-device AI. At Snapdragon Summit 2024, we demonstrated how a smartphone user can ask their AI assistant to calculate the tip and split the bill at a restaurant, simply by taking a picture of the receipt. And with a simple tap of your finger, you can then pay your portion of the bill with the payment information stored on your phone.

Mobile payments and mobile wallets are increasingly becoming the norm in recent years. They're easy, convenient and quick to use, plus not needing to carry multiple cards has been a huge game changer. Why carry a bulky physical wallet when you can carry everything you need conveniently stored on your phone? It's estimated that mobile payments will account for more than $1 trillion in U.S. point-of-sale transactions by 2027.¹ With such a staggering amount of money floating around, along with our personal information, it's imperative to ensure that we restrict access on our mobile devices.

How Qualcomm 3D Sonic Gen 2 can help to protect your smartphone

By using ultrasonic sound waves, Qualcomm 3D Sonic fingerprint sensors capture an incredibly detailed 3D map of your fingerprint, including its unique features such as pores and ridges. This level of detail enables reliable recognition, even when fingers are wet or in bright sunlight.

Setting up your fingerprint is now 10x faster than previous generations and can be completed with just three taps. This is because with a larger recognition surface, the Qualcomm 3D Sonic Gen 2 sensor can capture more data points and area from the user's finger to process authentication faster. Unlocking your phone has never been more convenient because the upgraded sensor can more accurately identify your fingerprint.

A new industry benchmark: Ultrasonic fingerprint sensing is now in many OEMs' flagship devices

Recent advancements in Flexible OLED display technology have established Ultrasonic Sensing as the preferred method for Fingerprint Recognition beneath smartphone displays. The optical isolation from the OLED display and its ultra-thin form factor of 0.2mm on the Qualcomm 3D Sonic Gen 2 sensor make it perfect for integration with smartphones that feature these flexible OLED displays. This ensures that it can be easily integrated into the device, allowing for thin and stylish designs without sacrificing functionality.

Many smartphone OEMs have already taken notice. You can experience Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensors on recent releases such as:

• Xiaomi Mi 15 and Mi 15 Pro
• Honor Magic 7 series
• OPPO Realme GT7 Pro
• IQOO 13 Pro
• Google Pixel 9 series
• Samsung Galaxy S24

This technology is becoming the new standard in the smartphone industry. More consumers will look for devices that are not only convenient to use, but also devices that they can feel good about using, knowing that their information is safer and more secure.

Learn more about 3D Sonic Gen 2