From 2018 most Android phones will be equipped with a facial recognition scanner, the same one used by Apple for Face ID on iPhone X
Fingerprint sensors might have a very short lifespan on phones. According to a new report by DigiTimes, in fact, from 2018 even Android smartphones will be equipped with face recognition systems. A tool very similar to the Face ID already seen on the iPhone X.
Facial recognition software is set to replace the biometric fingerprint reader in the future. In 2018, surely three big brands like Huawei, Oppo and Xiaomi will replace the fingerprint scanner with a system identical to Apple's Face ID. This decision is also due to the fact that the technologies needed to develop face recognition have dropped significantly in price in recent months. It is likely that in 2018 only the top of the range and flagship smartphones of an Android manufacturer will use "Face ID" but from 2019 this feature will be common to all devices.
Security issues
The use of facial recognition, as it was the case with fingerprints and as it will be the case with any biometric sensor, poses users with privacy and security concerns. Apple has assured that there is only a one-in-a-million chance of being able to fool their Face ID. And from Cupertino they let know that the images saved by the iPhone are protected and difficult to be stolen by a hacker. The question at this point is: will the multitude of Android manufacturers also adopt the same security standards and avoid vulnerabilities in face recognition software? The answer is not so obvious. Also because some manufacturers might push the adoption of the facial recognition scanner right away and to save money and keep the cost of the devices low they might not stick to the best security standards.
Facial Recognition on the Galaxy S9
It is almost certain then that Samsung too on the Galaxy S9 will mount a sensor for scanning the users' face. The question here is, will Samsung follow Apple (which did away with the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone X) or will it continue to adopt both biometric scanners?