Galaxy S8 to Use Facial Recognition to Confirm Samsung Pay Transactions: Report

Samsung’s next flagship smartphone will not only use facial recognition for device unlocking, but will also link it to transaction verification on Samsung Pay, reports Bloomberg Technology.

The news follows recent reports indicating that Samsung was planning to complement the forthcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone‘s iris scanning functionality with facial recognition, in an effort to improve the speed and accuracy of the phone’s biometric authentication capability. Linking the facial recognition to mobile payments echoes Samsung’s previous effort to confirm Samsung Pay purchases using the iris scanning functionality of Samsung’s Note7 device, which has since been recalled from the market. It should also help Samsung to compete against rival Apple, which is reportedly also planning to integrate facial recognition into this year’s flagship new iPhone.

Citing unnamed sources “familiar with the matter”, Bloomberg asserts that the facial recognition will be used to confirm payments “within months” of the phone’s release.

Bloomberg also notes that Samsung is thought to be planning a full-screen display for the Galaxy S8, with a built-in, virtual home button. That, too, could help the device to compete against the iPhone, for which Apple is also rumored to be planning a full-screen display along with an embedded home button, which is nevertheless expected to retain Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint scanning system.

Source: Bloomberg