Fingerprint sensor technology has evolved over the years where they no longer need to exist on the outside of our devices. We’re starting to see more handset makers integrate the tech into the displays of their phones, albeit only a portion of the display. This means that users still need to place their fingers over the sensor for it to work.
However, it seems that Huawei is envisioning a future where the displays of devices no longer need to reserve a portion of their screen for the fingerprint sensor. The company has filed a patent for a fingerprint sensor that encompasses the entire display itself. This means that users can tap anywhere on the screen to authenticate themselves.
By doing this, users can “hide” where the fingerprint sensor is which makes it harder for non-authenticated users to unlock their devices. They can also place it on top of icons of apps so that users can specifically protect different apps from opening unless authenticated by the user.
Some apps already do provide an additional level of security, but this feature means that users can essentially fingerprint-protect any app that they want. Huawei also believes that by limiting the area of the sensor, it can also reduce battery consumption as it only turns on when needed. That being said, as this is a patent, we’re not sure if it will ever come to pass, but it sounds like a pretty good idea anyway.