Fingerprint Scanners on iPhone 5s and Galaxy S5 Compared in New Video

[SMIDG3T]

To keep it short: You can unlock the 5s holding it in one hand from any orientation, but you need to use both hands and swipe down the center every time on the S5.

Touch ID: So easy, a cat could use it.

Yep, you just can't compare the two can you? "Swipe over the center" and "Swipe over the entire pad"? Touch ID is in a different league!

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Give Samsung a break, they only had a few months to copy apple this time.

Love it!

 

[the8thark]

I personally am waiting for TouchID on iPad. When that comes, I'll buy a new iPad. Without it, I'll probably try to make my current iPad last as long as it can. The feature existing or not on iPad is make or break for me getting a new iPad anytime soon.

 

[a0me]

My 5s Touch ID been broken for awhile, so I turned off the feature. I'll probably do a warranty swap before my year is up, but for now I'm back to my status quo - no passcode. Touch ID is only easier than no passcode when it works reliably.

Have you tried updating to iOS 7.1? Touch ID's success rate on my vanilla 7.0x had started to decline recently, and since I've updated to iOS 7.1 the success rate is even better than when I bought it (it has not failed once since the update).

 

[Intelligent]

iPhone won big this time.

 

[Max(IT)]

No offense, but anyone who says their Touch ID is flawless is lying. It's a great implementation - definitely better than the S5 - but it's not flawless. There are many times where I've had to wipe the button first before it would read my print. I can't be the only one out there.

It's something like 90-95% success on first attempt for me, and very close to 100% success on the second attempt.
Technically it's not flawless, but it's damn close to it.

Samsung's implementation is a typical gimmick to attract customers. An unlock gesture that requires two hands and a swipe movement is just ridiculous.
It could be useful for mobile payments, but the idea of unlocking a smartphone with that kind of gesture is very very bad.
But you know, Samsung HAD to do that, to put another thing in the specs list they love so much ....

 

[Tech198]

umm... ok.... i know how this now

Apple just does it in different ways to accomplish same thing, and while many many poo-poo this, its all in the name of security and or accuracy.. in this case. (could be both)


BTW. look how huge that Galaxy is...

I would probably say the fact you may have to do it repetitively to get it to work on Galaxy would it their own fault..... While Apple just does it right..

I wish i could say that for their software But i'm impressed with Touch ID on the 5s...

 

[Popeye206]

The Galaxy fingerprint sensor looks bad. Poor execution.

 

[meccaroy]

Motorola released a smartphone with fingerprint sensor about 4 years ago called the Atrix

I had one and used it regularly. it was pretty good sensor too. it worked about 85-90% with first swipe.

 

[bpcookson]

I suspect that this system just does not work well for certain people. Maybe the accuracy is lower for older users with more "tread wear" on their digits.

Oh, that's an interesting thought. Do older people literally wear out their fingerprints in any meaningful (not negligible) way? What are the properties of aging skin? This is worth googling.

 

[Lancer]

What I like about the iPhone one is I can pick up my phone and unlock it without looking, even getting it out of my pocket. But of course the Apple haters will say the Samsung is better and has more functions, just can't wait to have a wake up race the next time I see someone with a new S5.

 

[Lancer]

Give Samsung a break, they only had a few months to copy apple this time.

Plus they didn't want to copy Apple to closely or they could be sued again.

 

[redmamoth]

I know people love them, but Samsung Galaxy phones never appeal to me, they absolutely ruin stock Android with TouchWizz. It's just so ugly and the phones always look so cheap. HTC or Nexus all the way.

 

[discuit]

My 5-year-old HP laptop has a fingerprint scanner like this (strip you swipe across) that is used to logon to the computer. It can also be used to enter saved passwords on a website.

So this is hardly anything new (neither was Touch ID, BTW)

 

[wikiverse]

You can use your thumb from any angle using just one hand with the Apple implementation. Can you do the same with the S5? No.

You can if you set it up to scan your thumbprint sideways from the beginning. You really only need a 90 degree swipe to use it with one hand.

It's not that hard to figure out.

 

[Viantef]

You can if you set it up to scan your thumbprint sideways from the beginning. You really only need a 90 degree swipe to use it with one hand.

It's not that hard to figure out.

I completely agree, they're giving the S5 too much slack. All you have to do is swipe you finger down in the center and it'll work. Seems like he was trying to force the fingerprint scanner to not work on the S5.

I mean clearly you wouldn't be able to go from every angle, as the scanner is a rectangle and not a circle.

 

[Wingsy]

3 Comments:

1. Samsung swiping finger print annoying since it's darn near impossible with one hand? Couldn't you just do one of your fingers with one handed swipes so it has the right angle? To me swiping would be faster than holding. I don't know haven't had either phone.

No, swiping isn't faster. It only takes 0.4 seconds to press the home button and scan your print on an iPhone 5S. If the phone is already activated it takes 0.24 seconds to scan a print. I haven't used a swipe sensor but every one I've seen being used requires a fairly slow swipe speed. 0.4 seconds should be fast enough for anyone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW3OcxMnhwc

 

[BvizioN]

No offense, but anyone who says their Touch ID is flawless is wrong. It's a great implementation - definitely better than the S5 - but it's not flawless. There are many times where I've had to wipe the button first before it would read my print. I can't be the only one out there.

The only issue that I have had with touch ID (since October) is that if my fingers are moist it fails to read it. Otherwise it it has been really fantastic and I am very impressed with it. I have kind of forgotten now that I am using a password protected device and I only get reminded when I am restarting my phone. Feels so natural to press the home button and rest my finger on it for a fraction of second and boom.....

 

[bbeagle]

So basically the s5 is a terrible attempt to copy touch id. Hmmm, what else is new?

But it really doesn't matter to the Samsung fans.

They've now got a feature they can 'check off' their list. Doesn't matter if it doesn't work right, it's got the same feature as the iPhone does.

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Plus they didn't want to copy Apple to closely or they could be sued again.

Apple's lawsuits are working. If Apple never sued, people would go right on copying them. Now people understand.

It's like Hockey. Apple is throwing it's enforcers out to stop Samsung from running the goalie, and it's working.

 

[kdarling]

I'd be really interested to learn what Samsung's security implementation is like, if they have a secure enclave on their CPU inaccessible by any of the malware you find on Android.

Samsung first implemented a secure enclave in their Exynos chips, starting back in 2012 with the Galaxy S3. It's used to help secure their NSA derived Knox kernel.

I don't know if fingerprint data is also stored there, but it would be a good guess that it is, if for no other reason than to not have less security than Apple.

As for third party apps, the Samsung API simply flags if the user's fingerprint is a match to previously entered data. No fingerprint info is exposed to any app.

Apple is paranoid about security and it shows in TouchID, plus they haven't rushed out implementing 3rd Party support like Samsung, only putting their own credentials on the line.

Yeah, I brought that up before: I wonder what the legal obligations are if the OS (iOS or Android) falsely identifies someone for a third party purchase? At first blush, it would seem that the phone maker is ultimately responsible.

.

 

[Taipan]

What I find interesting is that after having seen Touch ID on the iPhone, when the Galaxy S5 came out it was abvious to everybody that its implementation was much worse. How could this not have been clear to Samsung engineers?

 

[FatMax]

For the guys having problems with Touch ID in iOS 7.1. For me personally I decided to drain my battery completely a while ago just as good practice to keep the battery healthy. After running it completely flat my battery life has improved BUT so has my performance on Touch ID. For some strange reason it's a lot faster and a lot more reliable. Perhaps you should try it (you could also just try turning the phone completely off for a few minutes as supposed to the hard reset thing)

All the best to the guys having issues I hope you can get it sorted out

A lithium battery is best kept healthy with charging and never to be charged above 93%, not below 20%.

Draining a lithium battery is bad for the cells.

I presume a HW reset would do the same for Touch ID as draining. Hold the sleep and home button until the  logo appears..

 

[ineedamac]

Give Samsung a break, they only had a few months to copy apple this time.

I literally laughed out loud at this one.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

A lithium battery is best kept healthy with charging and never to be charged above 93%, not below 20%.

Draining a lithium battery is bad for the cells.

I presume a HW reset would do the same for Touch ID as draining. Hold the sleep and home button until the  logo appears..

Apple recommends draining the battery once a month:

Use Your iPad Regularly

For proper reporting of the battery’s state of charge, be sure to go through at least one charge cycle per month (charging the battery to 100% and then completely running it down).

 

[sfwalter]

Give Samsung a break, they only had a few months to copy apple this time.

This deserves to be the quote of the week!

 

[i.mac]

One does not buy a phone for just the fingerprint scanner. Or do they?

Wait...

You mean that if you purchase a cigarette lighter wrapped around a Ferrari, that would be bad?