Apple fingerprint sensor will trigger technology boom

According to foreign media reports recently, market research firm IHS predicts that Apple's fingerprint sensors may trigger a new wave of technology. Analysts also reiterated that they expect Samsung to learn from Apple and launch its own smart phone equipped with a fingerprint sensor before the end of next year.

The iPhone 4 is equipped with a Retina display and Siri, and the iPhone 5 comes with a larger Retina display. However, the latest analysis report pointed out that Apple may trigger a new wave of technology with the fingerprint sensor used in the iPhone 5s.

For some analysts who are concerned about the iPhone market, this may be a bit surprising because 5s and 5c were released in September. Although the increased security features due to fingerprint sensors have so far been one of the most noteworthy new features for iOS smartphones, that advanced feature is not as appealing as it was at the beginning.

After iPad Air and the new iPad mini with Retina display are released, the market's focus on fingerprint sensors may further decline. Although there are rumors that these two products will also be equipped with fingerprint sensors, but in fact they will not be equipped with fingerprint sensors.

Despite this, the fingerprint sensor may also be a sleeping lion under the iPhone brand and may burst out at any time. According to IHS iSuppli, Apple has triggered a new wave of technology on fingerprint-enabled smart phones.

Analysts predict that by the end of 2013, global sales of smartphones with integrated fingerprint sensors will reach 45.7 million units, and by 2017, this number will soar to 525 million units.

According to the IHS research report, fingerprint sensor technology on mobile devices has so far remained generally unreliable.

Marwan Boustany, senior analyst at IHS responsible for researching MEMS and sensors, explained that fingerprint-enhanced security performance has remained at the conceptual level, and cost and performance have limited its widespread adoption.

However, analysts also pointed out that Apple bought AuthenTec last year, which has changed the situation. Boustany continued: "With the introduction of the iPhone 5s, Apple has solved these problems and enabled the fingerprint sensor solution to achieve functional seamless integration. Now that Apple has demonstrated its results, competitors will scramble to enter. This market will thus promote the rapid growth of this market sector in the coming years."

IHS also pointed out that although the research report described Apple as the main innovator in leading this new wave, it is not the only vendor that has achieved results in this area. Analysts pointed out that HTC's One Max, Konka's K5 Van Gogh and Pantech Vega Secret Note are examples of successful fingerprint sensors.

Analysts also said that they expect Samsung to learn from Apple and launch its own smart phone equipped with a fingerprint sensor before the end of next year.