Vivo’s X80 Pro Takes Fingerprint Sensor Tech to the Next Level as Apple Remains Focused on Face ID

[MacRumors]

Chinese mobile maker Vivo has announced that its latest flagship X80 Pro smartphone is coming to international markets, and the device boasts some standout features that Apple is rumored to have explored for future iPhones at one point or another.

The most notable of these features is a much larger in-display fingerprint sensor than seen on other Android phones. Vivo was one of the first phone companies to demonstrate an under-display fingerprint solution back in 2017, and with the help of Qualcomm it has since honed the technology to make unlocking the phone more convenient and secure.

The active area on the display is now a lot bigger, meaning users no longer have to align the tip of their thumb with a sensor to unlock the device. Apart from being larger though, the fingerprint sensor can now register a fingertip with a single press, rather than the way Touch ID users have to lift and press multiple times on a button for their fingerprint to be fully mapped.

As The Verge notes, the finger registration process works even if the display or your hands are wet, and the larger active area means users can also set the phone to require two fingerprints simultaneously for an extra layer of security – something that is not supported by Touch ID.

Apple's intention to launch an iPhone model with an under-screen fingerprint scanner has been a long-standing rumor that seems to have petered out this year. In a September 2021 research note, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said such an iPhone would be launched in the second half of 2023. However, Kuo in March poured cold water on that idea, suggesting it won't happen for several years, if ever, because Apple is so focused on improving Face ID.

Apple did test an under-screen fingerprint scanner for at least some iPhone 13 models, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, but Apple apparently decided not to move forward with the idea.

Returning to the X80 Pro, Vivo is keener to tout camera specs than fingerprint authentication, since it's the camera that really defines this device, as it looks as if the phone has essentially been designed around the four Zeiss rear lenses. The large camera housing on the back features a 50MP Wide camera with optical image stabilization and a 48MP Ultra Wide camera.

There are also a pair of periscope telephoto lenses, one featuring a 2x optical zoom and the other boasting a native 5x zoom. In a periscope system, light entering the telephoto lens is reflected by an angled mirror towards the camera's image sensor. The change in direction in which the light travels allows for a longer "folded" telephoto setup inside phones, enabling users to zoom in further without any blurriness.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the 2022 Pro iPhone models will feature a 48-megapixel Wide camera, which would be a major improvement over the current 12-megapixel camera. Meanwhile, rumors about the iPhone getting a periscope lens have been circulating since early 2020. Kuo initially said that a periscope lens would be an iPhone 14 Pro feature, but now says he expects the lens type to arrive with the iPhone 15 Pro, a prediction that analyst Jeff Pu has also made.

In another impressive feat, Vivo's X80 Pro supports 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, although the latter requires a separate compatible wireless charger to achieve that wattage. According to independent tests, the maximum supported wattage on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max when connected to a 30W or higher USB-C power adapter is 23W and 27W, respectively. Meanwhile wireless charging is only 15W across the lineup except for the iPhone 13 mini, which is limited to 12W of peak power via a MagSafe charger.

Apple's longtime goal has been an ‌iPhone‌ with no external ports or buttons for a clean, streamlined device, but until it can improve the maximum 15W charging speed of ‌MagSafe‌ or come up with another wireless alternative, that's unlikely to happen.

Other X80 Pro specs include 12GB of RAM, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a 6.78-inch 1440p OLED panel with a refresh rate of 120Hz, and 256GB of Storage. Vivo has yet to reveal pricing or release dates for different regions, but in the past the company has eventually expanded device availability to Europe, India, and areas in East Asia beyond China's borders.

Article Link: Vivo’s X80 Pro Takes Fingerprint Sensor Tech to the Next Level as Apple Remains Focused on Face ID

 

[Rychiar]

Vivo? Never heard of em. How do these random companies develop this stuff so seemingly easily while apple flounders to make significant changes with all their money and power?

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

I think Apple might Touch on this IDea? ?‍♂️

 

[Fraserh02]

Chinese mobile maker Vivo has announced that its latest flagship X80 Pro smartphone is coming to international markets, and the device boasts some standout features that Apple is rumored to have explored for future iPhones at one point or another.

The most notable of these features is a much larger in-display fingerprint sensor than seen on other Android phones. Vivo was one of the first phone companies to demonstrate an under-display fingerprint solution back in 2017, and with the help of Qualcomm it has since honed the technology to make unlocking the phone more convenient and secure.

The active area on the display is now a lot bigger, meaning users no longer have to align the tip of their thumb with a sensor to unlock the device. Apart from being larger though, the fingerprint sensor can now register a fingertip with a single press, rather than the way Touch ID users have to lift and press multiple times on a button for their fingerprint to be fully mapped.

As The Verge notes, the finger registration process works even if the display or your hands are wet, and the larger active area means users can also set the phone to require two fingerprints simultaneously for an extra layer of security – something that is not supported by Touch ID.

Apple's intention to launch an iPhone model with an under-screen fingerprint scanner has been a long-standing rumor that seems to have petered out this year. In a September 2021 research note, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said such an iPhone would be launched in the second half of 2023. However, Kuo in March poured cold water on that idea, suggesting it won't happen for several years, if ever, because Apple is so focused on improving Face ID.

Apple did test an under-screen fingerprint scanner for at least some iPhone 13 models, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, but Apple apparently decided not to move forward with the idea.

Returning to the X80 Pro, Vivo is keener to tout camera specs than fingerprint authentication, since it's the camera that really defines this device, as it looks as if the phone has essentially been designed around the four Zeiss rear lenses. The large camera housing on the back features a 50MP Wide camera with optical image stabilization and a 48MP Ultra Wide camera.

There are also a pair of periscope telephoto lenses, one featuring a 2x optical zoom and the other boasting a native 5x zoom. In a periscope system, light entering the telephoto lens is reflected by an angled mirror towards the camera's image sensor. The change in direction in which the light travels allows for a longer "folded" telephoto setup inside phones, enabling users to zoom in further without any blurriness.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the 2022 Pro iPhone models will feature a 48-megapixel Wide camera, which would be a major improvement over the current 12-megapixel camera. Meanwhile, rumors about the iPhone getting a periscope lens have been circulating since early 2020. Kuo initially said that a periscope lens would be an iPhone 14 Pro feature, but now says he expects the lens type to arrive with the iPhone 15 Pro, a prediction that analyst Jeff Pu has also made.

In another impressive feat, Vivo's X80 Pro supports 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, although the latter requires a separate compatible wireless charger to achieve that wattage. According to independent tests, the maximum supported wattage on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max when connected to a 30W or higher USB-C power adapter is 23W and 27W, respectively. Meanwhile wireless charging is only 15W across the lineup except for the iPhone 13 mini, which is limited to 12W of peak power via a MagSafe charger.

Apple's longtime goal has been an ‌iPhone‌ with no external ports or buttons for a clean, streamlined device, but until it can improve the maximum 15W charging speed of ‌MagSafe‌ or come up with another wireless alternative, that's unlikely to happen.

Other X80 Pro specs include 12GB of RAM, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a 6.78-inch 1440p OLED panel with a refresh rate of 120Hz, and 256GB of Storage. Vivo has yet to reveal pricing or release dates for different regions, but in the past the company has eventually expanded device availability to Europe, India, and areas in East Asia beyond China's borders.

Article Link: Vivo’s X80 Pro Takes Fingerprint Sensor Tech to the Next Level as Apple Remains Focused on Face ID

All good improving technology, but what’s the issue with lock button finger print sensors? I’ve always found them way more intuitive and reliable than in screen finger readers I’ve tested. Easier to find the placement too. I just don’t really see the need for it whilst there is still a lock button? If Apple has both Touch ID in the lock button and Face ID wouldn’t that be the best of both?

 

[senttoschool]

Vivo? Never heard of em. How do these random companies develop this stuff so seemingly easily while apple flounders to make significant changes with all their money and power?

Chinese people work harder and don't complain. Apple employees still refuse to return to the office and want to continue "working" at home.

 

[MayaUser]

Vivo? Never heard of em. How do these random companies develop this stuff so seemingly easily while apple flounders to make significant changes with all their money and power?

Apple has to make the tech available for ten of millions of devices and that only in the first 1-2 months...while Vivo? for a lot less
So its a lot harder since they cant produce a new tech to so many devices
No wonder the A16 will be only in 2 iphones now....Apple is selling too much

 

[The Game 161]

Vivo? Never heard of em. How do these random companies develop this stuff so seemingly easily while apple flounders to make significant changes with all their money and power?

Easy

Supply and volume. Apple getting parts for stuff like periscope lens is far harder than for Chinese companies

 

[BvizioN]

As long as I will have to touch every single time I need to authenticate using touch ID, Face ID rules for me.

 

[Leon Ze Professional]

Vivo? Never heard of em. How do these random companies develop this stuff so seemingly easily while apple flounders to make significant changes with all their money and power?

It's because Apple doesn't usually cut corners or make structurally flawed phones like some of these Chinese companies do. I'm looking at you Oneplus.

 

[44267547]

“ Apple remains focused on Face ID….”

Of course they do. Because Face ID is highly secure, has matured and is obviously Apple’s chosen biometric security method moving forward, as it’s expanding to other products.

Has anyone even come close to Apple in terms of replicating Face ID? We see all these ‘under the screen fingerprint readers’, but it appears nobody’s been able to replicate what Apple has been able to do.

None of these biometric security options are perfect, and they’re not expected to be. However, it should be more about protecting the user as much as possible -versus- just adding the next ‘cool tech feature’.

 

[darngooddesign]

Vivo? Never heard of em. How do these random companies develop this stuff so seemingly easily while apple flounders to make significant changes with all their money and power?

Because people don't cut Apple the same slack they do companies like Vivo. Apple doesn't have the luxury of releasing a fingerprint reader which is 80% secure, it has to be 100% secure and un-spoofable. Same reason why Samsung could release the Fold 1, but Apple has to release the Fold 4.

 

[iamgalt]

I'm fine with Apple not focusing on touch ID anymore. I've never had any problem with face ID, but always had issues with touch ID and would have to end up typing in the passcode more than half the time. The other companies can keep their touch ID.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Apple has to make the tech available for ten of millions of devices and that only in the first 1-2 months...while Vivo? for a lot less
So its a lot harder since they cant produce a new tech to so many devices
No wonder the A16 will be only in 2 iphones now....Apple is selling too much

So you're saying Apple actually has large in-screen fingerprint sensors, 80W charging capability and camera's with periscope lenses but keeps them in a drawer because they can't produce 10's of millions?

What, exactly, is their excuse for not replacing the lighting connector with USB-C? You're excuses don't work for that.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

Vivo? Never heard of em. How do these random companies develop this stuff so seemingly easily while apple flounders to make significant changes with all their money and power?

Vivo is under the same parent company as Oppo and One Plus called BBK and was the fifth largest smartphone brand in the world last year, just behind Oppo. Companies like these can experiment more because they ship larger variety of phones at a lower volume per model, whereas Apple needs to manufacture significantly more phones of the same model type, needing capacity for mountains of identical parts before bringing something to market.

 

[KENESS]

Vivo? Never heard of em. How do these random companies develop this stuff so seemingly easily while apple flounders to make significant changes with all their money and power?

Often there is a big difference between the described "ideal" and the reality of how well these things actually work. Not saying that is the case here, I've no idea, but it is quite common for smaller manufacturers to throw a feature into a product, tout the feature, but then buyers discover the the feature is very poorly implemented or unreliable.

Apple's not perfect, of course, and have had missteps, but they do try harder to make sure new features are fully fleshed out first, which takes more time. 90% of adding a new feature is quick and easy. It's that last 10%, the fit, finish and finesse, that is much harder and slower. Most of these smaller brands stop at the 90% because it is cheap and easy and they can then "claim" they have the feature.

That, and as others have said, scale. Apple has to source parts for 10's of millions of phones, and those sources have to be reliable. Some of these others may only be 10's of thousands, if that, and some parts, particularly the newest latest greatest, can't be had (yet) at any reasonable price in super large quantities, but are do-able in smaller quantities.

 

[Moonjumper]

I much prefer touchID as I find it more reliable and convenient, so would like to see it come back, but not as a replacement. Let those who prefer faceID use faceID. Let those who prefer touchID use touchID.

 

[hsotnicam8002]

As long as I will have to touch every singe time I need to authenticate using touch ID, Face ID rules for me.

But you touch your device to activate Face ID.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

So you're saying Apple actually has large in-screen fingerprint sensors, 80W charging capability and camera's with periscope lenses but keeps them in a drawer because they can't produce 10's of millions?

What, exactly, is their excuse for not replacing the lighting connector with USB-C? You're excuses don't work for that.

The first part being true doesn’t mean Apple can’t also sometimes be greedy by keeping proprietary connection standards.

I’m sure Apple has a huge variety of everything you listed in various prototypes, but if they can’t make enough at a standard Apple is happy with, what good will it do?

 

[szw-mapple fan]

But you touch your device to activate Face ID.

You do not. If the phone on a stand lights up with a notification you can use Face ID to unlock the phone to see notifications without touching it. It’s one of my favorite features using Face ID.

 

[Sakurambo-kun]

Chinese people work harder and don't complain. Apple employees still refuse to return to the office and want to continue "working" at home.

Working from home is for many more productive than working in noisy, cluttered, covid filled offices.

Try to be more logical in future.

 

[amartinez1660]

Because people don't cut Apple the same slack they do companies like Vivo. Apple doesn't have the luxury of releasing a fingerprint reader which is 80% secure, it has to be 100% secure and un-spoofable. Same reason why Samsung could release the Fold 1, but Apple has to release the Fold 4.

Agreed, as some comments above correctly imply, that the last 20% stretch you mention takes the other 80% of the time of development.

Add to that that for the few times that some incident happens on those few non-working moments, say “wanted to call for a cab to get to a plane on time for an important meeting but the phone didn’t unlock quickly enough”, ends up in a myriad of lawsuits, fines and problems in random countries all over the world.

They will definitely not risk half baked decisions anymore… which I guess is good for the consumer too? Let the others experiment, let people buy those experiments too. Later on choose accordingly as desired.

 

[rictus007]

Does it work with a screen protector?

 

[cupcakes2000]

But you touch your device to activate Face ID.

No you do not. When I'm driving and it's in its holder you just look at it when it lights up, you can see the notifications, and you can ask Siri to read them and reply. No need to touch anything at all for anything whatsoever. Obviously ymmv as to how well Siri works, but that's a different subject. Same with my iPad on its stand.

 

[BvizioN]

But you touch your device to activate Face ID.

Not really. I only lift the phone and it unlocks.
Also, I do not need to touch it every time I authenticate log ins to apps or web sites. This is very important because is happening all the time when I am using the phone.

 

[DougiePhresh]

The fact that Apple has made the decision to put FaceID on the iPhones and TouchID on the MacBooks is positively insane. Do the Apple execs/designers even use their own products? When I am using my MacBook I am never not looking directly at the screen… perfect scenario for FaceID. While much of the time I am using my phone it is at a weird angle… where TouchID would be so much more useful.