At yesterday’s Snapdragon Tech Summit, Qualcomm announced a new ultrasonic fingerprint sensor with some pretty interesting features. Called the 3D Sonic Max, the sensor is 17 times bigger than its predecessor, but that is not the only upgrade. Qualcomm says the sensor can also scan two fingers at the same time.
The 3D Sonic Max brings improvements over the 3D Sonic that Samsung used in the Galaxy S10. The new sensor measures 20mm x 30mm compared to its predecessor’s 4mm x 9mm. According to Qualcomm, the larger area will allow the scanner to capture a clearer and complete fingerprint and avoid screen protector issues.
The ability to scan two fingerprints at the same time also translates to better security. Qualcomm says that the scanning speed has also been improved in its blog post. However, The Verge reports that the speed is similar to that of the previous generation according to a statement by Alex Katouzian, a Senior VP and general manager of mobile at Qualcomm. So unlocking time will not be different from that of its predecessor.
It is not yet known which manufacturers will be adopting the new scanner for its phones. Samsung may decide to go with an alternative following the security mess that plagued the first version. However, there are reports Apple is considering Qualcomm’s technology for its 2020 smartphones.
