Fingerprint security may not be the safest form of security available but its adoption on smartphones are getting wider usage. Apart from locking the smartphone in order to avoid unwarranted access to owner’s privacy, fingerprint technology is now being deployed in online payment and other aspects. Even though phone manufacturers are quick to always warn that it is not very safe, it is not surprising to find that some phone users still make use of it. However, a shocking discovery has emerged that a broken fingerprint sensor can be unlocked by just anybody’s fingers apart from the stored fingerprint.

A video uploaded on China’s video sharing and live streaming platform Miaopai seems to chronicle the demonstration of the effect a crack on the fingerprint has on the integrity of the smartphone’s fingerprint technology.  The video was created by a dude named Xiao Xu and even though he spoke in Chinese we have been able to transcribe what he said and you can watch the video from below. He claimed his mobile phone accidentally fell down and the screen got cracked around the front-facing fingerprint sensor area. Thereafter, he tried using the fingerprint unlock feature and found out it still worked fine and even could make fingerprint payment on AliPay using the sensor. Another day, a classmate wanted to check out his phone which he left idle and surprisingly, the friend’s fingerprint unlocked the phone. Further probing revealed that everyone else could unlock the smartphone with their fingerprint and not only that, fingerprint payment was possible.

This is coming on the heels of a recent unconfirmed assertion that an orange peel can be used to override the fingerprint sensor and unlock a smartphone. The orange peel, it is claimed, can be used to effect fingerprint payment on the smartphone. We don’t know how true these claims are but in an era where fingerprint technology is almost finding a place on all classes of smartphones, these are grave causes for concern. For now, no official confirmation has been issued by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information (TENAA) which is responsible for certification and quality assurance of smartphones manufactured in China.

Read More: JDI Develops Transparent Glass-Based Fingerprint Sensor, Ships This Year

Perhaps, your smartphone has got a cracked sensor? Then you can try this out to see if an unauthorized fingerprint can unlock your mobile. If not, we’ll have to wait for a response from the relevant authorities and hope that comes out quickly, considering the potential security risk this could pose to millions of smartphone users around the world who already use fingerprint payment with their mobile. It’s crazy to even imagine that a thief can steal someone’s phone and simply crack the screen then get access to the victim’s funds and other sensitive details. Just crazy! These are even several other reports of hacked fingerprint sensors using various methods. With these negative reports, do you think fingerprint technology could last the next 10 years on smartphones? Let us know your thought in the comment section.

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The Xiaomi Mi 6 is the trending device at the moment. After its launch two days ago, there have been tens of articles on its design, features and camera capabilities. This article adds to the list but will definitely not be the last.

Early reviews of the Mi 6 shows that MIUI now allows fingerprints for payments in the WeChat app. This makes the Xiaomi Mi 6 the first phone to do so. Now users can authorize payments with only their fingerprints on Mi Pay, AliPay, and WeChat.

During the launch, Xiaomi’s CEO, Lei Jun talked about the new features of their new flagship such as the new NFC technology that speeds up communication between channels by up to 50% coupled with the advanced NXP PN80T chip that allows for more secure payments.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Mi Note 3 Now Rumored To Launch in Q3 2017

The feature is still exclusive to the Xiaomi Mi 6 for now and there is no mention yet of it rolling out to older devices but we hope it does if not now but probably with MIUI 9.

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Vernee’s two smartphones, namely the high-end Vernee Apollo with 6GB RAM and the mid-range Vernee Thor have been making the news recently. The second device, i.e. the Thor is confirmed to retail for an affordable price tag of $129.99 with MT6753 octa-core chip on board.

Now, Vernee has just revealed to us that the Thor has been FIDO certified, which opens up the possibility of fingerprint payments using the device. The FIDO (Fast Identity Online) Alliance was formed way back in 2012 to change the nature of authentication by developing a mechanism that was open and scalable, in order to potentially replace the need for passwords. Given that the Thor is now FIDO-enabled, the phone could be potentially used to make payments secured by its fingerprint sensor.

Apart from this, the Vernee Thor features pretty decent specs. The phone comes with the MT6753 octa-core chip with 3GB RAM and 16GB of eMMC  5.0 storage. There will be a 5-inch on cell display on board and a 2800mAh battery at the back with 5V 2A Quick Charging. As for the optics, the phone features a 13MP rear-facing camera and a 5MP front-facing shooter.

All this inside a compact body with is coated with a special black rubber paint to improve grip. The company will officially release the device in April, which will be its first smartphone in 2016.

Apart from the Thor, there’s the Vernee Apollo that we are all excited for. The phone will reportedly feature the Helio X20 deca-core chip with a whopping 6GB of RAM on board. The Apollo is rumored to feature pretty exciting hardware and you will be able to purchase the phone for around $399.99, which is not at all a bad deal.

So, what do you think about the Thor?

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Although the MX4 has been launched, it cannot be called a flagship phone in the truest sense since it has a Pro edition.

Insiders revealed that a new version with the Yun OS will come out next month. This phone will be the result of a cooperation between Meizu and Alibaba. They also revealed that this phone supports payment by fingerprint. If this is true, then this should be the MX4 Pro since it supports fingerprint recognition.

Take not that Huawei has already introduced the Mate 7 which is the first cellphone to support fingerprint payment. Its scanner recognizes fingerprints when pressed. Meizu must be using the same formula.

The difference though is that the MX4 with the Yun OS will still use the Kirin 925 processor like the Mate 7. Why? Because according to reports, Huawei’s chip offers the best security settings for fingerprint payments.

The post Meizu to release Pro Edition of MX4 with Yun OS, enables payment by fingerprint appeared first on Gizmochina.