In-Display Fingerprint Sensor Comes Away from CES on Wave of Acclaim

Surprising no one, Synaptics’ in-display fingerprint solution has come away from this year’s Consumer Electronics Show with numerous awards and wide acclaim. The company has announced that its Clear ID FS9500 fingerprint sensor received ‘Best of Show’ recognition from numerous online news outlets including Android Authority, Android Central, Digital Trends, Tech Radar, TechnoBuffalo, and Toms Guide.

The solution was first announced in early December, with Vivo quickly confirming that the sensor would be used in a forthcoming smartphone, marking the end of a long, gruelling race between the world’s top smartphone brands to pioneer in-display fingerprint recognition. At CES 2018, the technology was demonstrated in a prototype of new Vivo phone, proving to attendees that an optical sensor can be implemented for unobtrusive functionality beneath the screen of a mobile device.

Clear ID ended up winning a CES Innovation Award, and in addition to its accolades from industry-focused outlets, it also received praise from more mainstream news outlets including The Verge and the Washington Post. Acknowledging the praise in a statement, Synaptics Mobile Division VP Kevin Barber said his firm is “honored to receive industry accolades at CES for our Clear ID optical fingerprint sensor technology with awards from several industry-leading publications, and great reviews from other prominent outlets”, adding that Synaptics is “charting the future” for smartphone biometrics supporting full-size displays.”

It still isn’t clear when Vivo’s pioneering new smartphone will actually reach the market, but in its statement Synaptics described it as “soon-to-be-released” and a “world’s first”.