The Galaxy Note 8 isn’t even official, but we already have Galaxy S9 rumors on our hands. The next Galaxy S handset isn’t due for at least six more months and now we have a report that might disappoint fans, including Apple enthusiasts eager to buy the iPhone 8 this year.
For a long time, Apple has been rumored to integrate a fingerprint sensor into the display for the iPhone 8, which would be a first for a widely available smartphone. Sure, some people already did it, and Qualcomm even announced its own display-embedded fingerprint sensor technology. But Apple’s iPhone 8 would have been the first device to feature such a fingerprint sensor and actually ship to consumers around the world.
At the same time, rumors suggested that Apple hasn’t perfected the tech, and the iPhone 8 may not even feature a fingerprint sensor. Now, a new report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that was seen by 9to5Google seems to indirectly confirm those rumors.
The analyst, who’s been very accurate about iPhones in the past, now says that the iPhone 8 won’t feature an under-display Touch ID sensor. He says that Samsung will not be pressured to introduce the feature with the next Galaxy S model, suggesting that the Galaxy Note 9 will be the first Samsung smartphone to feature a display fingerprint sensor.
“Since OLED iPhone has canceled under-display fingerprint recognition/Touch ID function, and as Galaxy S9 will have the new selling points of upgraded iris recognition and dual camera, Samsung has no need to risk adopting under-display optical fingerprint solution in a hurry,” the analyst wrote.
If even Samsung can’t pull off this trick early next year, it must mean that Apple has serious issues coming up with a viable Touch ID sensor that would be placed inside the display.
Apple and Samsung are fierce enemies in the mobile business, but they’re also united by a massive partnership. Samsung would be the first to know what new features Apple plans for upcoming iPhones, as the iPhone maker sources critical parts from Samsung. The OLED display that will be mounted on the iPhone 8 is manufactured by Samsung Display. Should this display feature a fingerprint-sensing layer, it’s likely that Samsung would know about it, as Apple would have certain display requirements.
So, since the iPhone 8 won’t feature a Touch ID sensor inside the screen — and all the recent reports support this — it’s likely we won’t see one in any big-name phones until the Galaxy Note 9 and next-gen iPhone arrive in the third quarter of 2018.
