From Swipe to Touch to Invisible Touch - The Evolution of Fingerprint Sensors in Smart Mobile Devices

From Swipe to Touch to Invisible Touch - The Evolution of Fingerprint Sensors in Smart Mobile Devices

Readers of a certain age will possibly remember Genesis, the English prog-rock band that featured first Peter Gabriel and then Phil Collins on vocals. In the 1980s they released a rather poor 13^th album called ‘Invisible Touch’. Little did they know that we would use that title in a rather obscure pun in an article on the evolution of fingerprint sensors in smart mobile devices (SMD) – the album cover is rather relevant though! And if you hear ‘Invisible Touch’ wafting over the speakers at a product launch at MWC 2014 – you know where they got their idea from.

This blog explores the evolution of fingerprint sensors designed for consumer electronic devices including smart mobile devices; from swipe to touch to ‘invisible touch'. This blog first appeared in the January 2014 edition of the Goode Intelligence Market Intelligence publication; "Fingerprint Biometrics Market Intelligence" (published 28 January 2014). 

Smartphone OEMs rush to embed fingerprint sensors

Despite the intense media attention that accompanied Apple’s launch of Touch ID embedded fingerprint sensors on mobile phones have been around since 1998. Ever since Siemens developed its prototype device back in 1998 there has been steady stream of handsets being biometric-enabled.

Fingerprint sensors are becoming a common-feature of flagship smartphones with an increasing number of mobile device OEMs joining Apple in launching high-end devices during the latter part of 2013. This included HTC, Fujitsu and Pantech. So far, all these Android-based devices have used swipe fingerprint sensors, sourced from either Fingerprint Cards (FPC) or Validity Sensors. For these android devices, the sensor is being located on the rear of the smartphone (see image of HTC One max below).

HTC One max (with Validity swipe sensor located underneath rear camera)

Apple Touch ID - leader for smartphone touch sensor

Apple is so far the only mobile device OEM to have launched a device with an embedded Touch Capacitive sensor (shown below). The sensor uses capacitive touch technology to take a high resolution (500 pixels per inch or ppi) from small sections of a fingerprint (from the subepidermal layers of the skin).

Source: Apple

There are advantages in using a touch sensor over a swipe sensor on a mobile device:

• The user experience is usually superior
• Greater accuracy;  there appears to be fewer failures as the finger is better positioned for touch. For swipe, the finger has to be swiped accurately over the sensor to ensure that the fingerprint is read correctly. On some smartphone implementations, especially on larger devices (phablets), the location of the sensor on the rear of the device makes this difficult when holding the device with one hand 
• The sensor can be built into a hard button on the front of the mobile device, e.g. home/power button

Non-Apple smartphones - first swipe then touch

Goode Intelligence believes that for the first quarter of 2014 a number of Tier 1 mobile device OEMs will launch flagship models that incorporate a swipe sensor. This will include further HTC models and releases from LG, Lenovo and Samsung (Samsung may want to launch with a touch sensor to match the user experience of Apple’s Touch ID).

The three remaining fingerprint sensor manufacturers who can supply to the mobile device industry, Fingerprint Cards, Idex and Validity Sensors (part of Synaptics) are all in the process of commercialising their versions of the mobile-ready touch sensor.

Fingerprint Cards is probably in a more advanced state of commercialisation and has gone on record to say that their touch sensor (FPC1020) has been sold to a “Tier 1 OEM” for a “flagship smartphone with a targeted launch date in the summer of 2014”[1]

Idex and Validity will follow FPC in launching their own touch sensors during 2014 and GI expects to see them appear in smart mobile devices and other consumer electronic devices.

Next generation consumer fingerprint sensors - Invisible Touch

The third stage to the evolution of mobile device-based fingerprint sensors is driven by the need for greater user convenience combined with a trend to remove physical buttons from smart mobile devices. Partly as a result of the reduction of the bezel-size and driven by the trend for larger touch screen sizes.

The elimination of physical buttons creates a problem for component suppliers including fingerprint sensor manufacturers as it removes an obvious place to position the sensor. It also provides them with an opportunity for new markets for their products.

The positioning of the fingerprint sensor underneath, or within the touch screen, is the next stage in the evolution of consumer fingerprint biometrics and enables mobile device OEMs to remove physical buttons. It also ensures that the convenience of identification, touching a finger on the front of a mobile device, is maintained.

GI believes that all of the fingerprint sensor manufacturers currently operating in the consumer and mobile space are well advanced in their research and development efforts to make this a reality:

• Idex released this video after demonstrating a proof-of-concept device that placed the fingerprint sensor within the touch screen display
• Validity Sensors is now part of Synaptics who are one of the world’s largest suppliers of touchscreen technology. Synaptics are also developing fingerprint sensors built into the touchpads that are embedded into laptops and notebooks
• FPC has demoed demoed touch sensor capabilities with Windows for integration into Windows 8 (8.1) products and also works with CrucialTec, manufacturer of the optical TrackPad (OTP)

This includes Apple and the resources that were integrated as a result of the AuthenTec acquisition.

‘Invisible Touch’ is not only suitable for smart mobile devices; any consumer electronic device that uses a screen has the potential to integrate a touch fingerprint under or within the screen. This could include smart TVs, single-use gaming handhelds, tablets, touchscreen monitors, hybrid notebooks and touchscreens integrated into domestic appliances and smart house control technology. Whether anybody would want to authenticate using their fingerprint for their fridge is debatable (although perhaps if you wanted to stop a young child from turning on an oven or keeping your teenager out of your wine cooler?).

This is a potentially huge market and is part of the wider Consumerisation of biometrics that will revolutionise how we interact with technology.

This opportunity will be explored in an upcoming analyst report published by Goode Intelligence; "Emerging Markets for Fingerprint Biometrics".

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[1] FPC wins first 1020 touch sensor DW from Global Tier 1 OEM for their flagship smartphone. 20 December 2013: http://www.fingerprints.com/blog/2013/12/20/fpc-wins-first-1020-touch-sensor-dw-from-global-tier-1-oem-for-their-flagship-smartphone/

Bring Your Own Finger - The Consumerisation of Biometrics on Mobile Devices

Firstly, let me apologise for jumping on the BYO bandwagon. I did grimace a bit when writing it but in a way it is rather apt. Biometrics are always with you and you do bring them with you; to the shops, to work, when travelling.....

That's what makes them a very attractive proposition for identification purposes. With the ever-growing list of super-long passwords that we are required to use for an increasingly long list of digital services, the search for an agile method for securely identifying people has been the Holy Grail for some time. Link that with the move towards accessing digital services on mobile devices and you have a situation that creates a perfect environment for easy-to-use, convenient, authentication and identity verification services.

Without even considering the rush by mobile manufacturers to embed fingerprint sensors into their latest smart mobile devices, mobile devices have many sensors that can be leveraged for biometric identification purposes. Cameras (front and rear with the support to capture HD video, high quality microphones, accelerometers for behavioural biometrics etc.

In my latest report for Goode Intelligence, "Mobile Biometric Security - Market Forecast Report 2013-2018", I have revised the forecasts from the original report, published in June 2011, to take into consideration the rapidly changing landscape. My research into this sector has discovered that in the last two years the following factors has created an environment that will create a market that is worth US$8.3 billion by 2018:

The Consumerisation of Biometrics: Apple has changed everything and has again disrupted a market and rebranded biometrics as a convenient method of communicating with consumer technology. Previously, Biometrics has largely been associated with high-end security; border control, national ID solutions and for providing access control for high-security buildings. This has all changed with the Apple iPhone 5s and Touch ID

Convenient mobile device protection: Existing mobile device authentication is cumbersome and inconvenient.  This means that many devices are left with no protection. Replacing a PIN or Passcode with an easy-to-use biometric can reduce this burden

 Mobile Commerce: Mobile devices have become the prime method of carrying out digital commerce yet identity verification and payment authorisation has not yet been updated to match this form factor. Biometrics can offer a convenient and secure method to prove identity and to authorise payments

As part of a multi-factor authentication solution: Most of the major authentication vendors support, or have plans to support, biometrics in their authentication products. This will be supported by authentication standards initiatives such as the FIDO Alliance that will enable biometrics to be easily utilised, when available, on mobile devices

Mobile devices are getting more secure: Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint solution makes use of a ‘secure vault’ to ensure that the fingerprint templates are stored in a secure area of the hardware. It is thought that Apple is leveraging ARM’s TrustZone, a hardware-security environment for secure storage and trusted execution. Security services are being built into all mobile platforms to counteract malware and to protect sensitive information and transactions. Complimentary services such as Mobile Device Management (MDM), Secure Containers and Mobile Application Management (MAM) create a trusted platform to support biometric security on consumer mobile devices

A Smart Mobile Identity for our smart mobile lifestyle

I must admit that I didn’t come up with the term Smart Mobile Identity. For that I have to thank Joey Pritikin at AOptix who I was lucky enough to meet at the recent Biometrics exhibition and conference in London during the last week of October 2012. I first came across the term in a presentation that Joey gave at last year’s Biometrics conference where he discussed how standard smart phones can be leveraged for biometric purposes, including user authentication and  identity verification [Presentation: Smart Mobile Identity – Beyond Single Purpose Handheld Biometric Devices].

In my opinion, the term Smart Mobile Identity really sums up the next generation of mobile-based authentication and identity verification solutions – something that I have been involved in for the best part of ten years through various roles including my current one as Managing Director of Goode Intelligence.

To me, Smart Mobile Identity is about leveraging the capabilities of a modern smart mobile device (SMD) to ensure that our identities are proven or verified when identity proof (authentication if you like) is required. Not only for proving identity when accessing digital services through a desktop computer but also for mobile initiated access and even when we present ourselves in the physical world; at a country border or when accessing health or social security services. I also include proving our identity when accessing digital services using other connected devices, such as gaming consoles, automobiles, smart TVs etc; adaptive and agile authentication and identity verification to support the Internet of things. As someone who owns an Xbox 360 Kinect device, the idea of using a voiceprint or a facial scan to access Xbox LIVE is a realistic possibility.

For mobile device-based authentication and identity verification solutions, the simplest scenario is being sent a one-time-password (OTP) via SMS when authenticating ourselves into a network-based service, e.g. Google’s Authenticator or 2-step verification process. However, this is changing rapidly and we are in the midst of an evolution in mobile-based authentication and identity verification solutions; moving away from porting existing, non-mobile centric, services to the mobile to designing solutions specifically for mobile. Using the microphone for voice biometrics, a GPS sensor for Geo-location, a combination of the accelerometer and touchscreen for continuous behavioural assessment, securely storing digital certificates in the SIM or Secure Element (SE) and the camera for facial and eye vein biometrics (take a look at start-up EyeVerify for this). All these examples work with standard SMDs now; no need for any specialist equipment.

In addition to these examples, new opportunities are being presented with the next generation of SMDs that contain new types of embedded sensors, including NFC, embedded fingerprint and voice recognition sensors. You can also adapt existing SMDs with add-on sleeves that enable fingerprint recognition (Precise Biometrics Tactivo sleeve) and can support smart cards and NFC. The need for single-purpose devices to capture and verify biometrics in the field may become obsolete as a result of these developments.

Smart mobile devices offer so many opportunities for authentication and identity verification and this blog can only scratch at the surface of what can and will be offered – some of the solutions even encroach into the realms of science fiction. I was fascinated to come across the iTravel patent from Apple detailing what the Cupertino tech giant believes to be the possibility of using a mobile wallet for travel purposes. Managing the end-to-end travel process from reservation, to ticket receipt/validation, check-in and baggage claim through to identification at border control. I think all but the last scenario achievable now but I believe that we are far off from using our mobile devices as virtual passports.

That said, perhaps we are seeing pieces of the jigsaw that tell us how Apple will integrate the recently acquired fingerprint sensor technology from AuthenTec – an agile, and very personal, way to protect our wallets or in Apple’s case our Passbook. Swiping a finger to lock and unlock our digital wallets.

Every discussion that I have with technology companies involved in this space, and this includes many of the major authentication and biometric vendors, involves how best to utilise the smart mobile device for authentication and identity verification purposes. My recent attendance at the RSA Europe conference and Biometrics Conference, both held in London, was largely occupied with meetings with clients and tech vendors that were investing serious R&D resources into this area of technology.

A number of forward looking organisations and technology vendors are already leveraging the capabilities of the smart mobile device for authentication and identity verification purposes. Through my work at Goode Intelligence I have been exploring the capabilities of mobile devices for authentication and identity verification and this includes the recent publication of two free-to-download white papers; Two-Factor Authentication Goes Mobile and The Case for Mobile MFV.

Goode Intelligence will continue to track this market and you can expect some new publications covering smart mobile identity in the coming months.

Please get in touch if you want to discuss this further or are a technology innovator working in this exciting field. 

What does Apple's acquisition of AuthenTec tell us about biometrics on mobile devices?

I am not surprised with the news that Apple has acquired mobile security and fingerprint sensor vendor AuthenTec in a deal worth $356m. 

I have been following the mobile security market since 2004 and this has included the publication of a report for my research and consultancy company, Goode Intelligence, on mobile biometric security published in June of 2011. Smart Mobile Devices (SMDs), a term that we use to define smart phones and tablets, have become the portable computer of choice for both personal and business use. However, questions remain as to the effectiveness of security controls for these devices with the recent Black Hat conference in Las Vegas being dominated by presentations that detail the vulnerabilities of these devices. 

Apple's acquisition of AuthenTec, who are not just about fingerprint sensors, is a positive move by the Cupertino-based company and could lead to next generation Apple products having embedded security controls, both hardware and software-based. 

As seen in the Goode Intelligence annual mSecurity survey report, Apple iOS has become the number one choice for the enterprise. This position will be well and truly cemented if Apple strengthens its security as a result of the AuthenTec acquisition. 

Will this mean embedded fingerprint sensors in next generation Apple products including the iPhone and the iPad? With the acquisition of AuthenTec this has become more likely. I interviewed AuthenTec as part of my research into the mobile biometric market and back in May 2011 they said this; “the integration of fingerprint sensors into wireless smart phones, feature phones and tablets is in its early stages and will accelerate.” Accelerate as a result of being in every iPhone and iPad? A distinct possibility.

Embedded fingerprint sensors on mobile devices are being used to protect the phone (augment standard phone lock as my Motorola Atrix 4G admirably does) and to provide authentication to support NFC-based transactions, including payments, at physical locations. AuthenTec has been doing well in this market since 2004 when it first supplied fingerprint sensors for Fujitsu mobile phones to be used to secure mobile payments for NTT DoCoMo in Japan. With rumours that the next generation iPhone (iPhone 5) will support NFC, will Apple be combining biometric authentication through the use of an embedded fingerprint sensor for mobile payments at the physical point-of-sale?

I was pretty cautious when forecasting the growth of mobile biometric security products and services back in 2011, predicting that the market would grow to 39 million users by 2015. This quote from the report highlights this; "The market is currently slow; but pressure is growing. Things could change rapidly, from an interesting concept to a 'must have' for all smart mobile devices."

I did go on to make a conditional statement that is very relevant with this news;

"However, this could all be thrown on its head with the introduction of embedded biometrics on mobile devices by one of the major manufacturers – and not just a single product line but standard on all mobile phone products. The market is always eagerly waiting for the next generation of Apple iPhones and rumours are circulating that Apple iPhone 5 may include some form of biometric technology."

Could this news be the catalyst to accelerate the adoption of biometric security onto smart mobile devices - there is now much more of a chance of this happening. I look forward to seeing how Apple build on AuthenTec's success in the mobile security world.

For news, opinion and analysis on all things mobile security follow me on Twitter - @goodeintel