First Implementations Highlight FIDO UAF 1.1 Support for Android Biometrics

The FIDO Alliance has announced the first FIDO Certified implementation of its UAF 1.1 specifications.

The standards are designed to make it easier for developers to take advantage of biometric authentication on devices running Android 8.0 or later. In creating FIDO applications, developers can directly integrate Android APIs on devices supporting fingerprint scanning and key attestation.

As FIDO Alliance Executive Director Brett McDowell explained in a statement on the FIDO website, FIDO UAF 1.1 “will be an accelerator of FIDO Certified apps on Android, not only in Asia where we have always seen a lot of first mover adoption, but everywhere app developers wish to offer users secure biometrics to replace passwords in a privacy-respecting manner.”

As for those ‘first movers’, Japan-based telecom NTT DOCOMO is first out of the gate with its new “d ACCOUNT” application for its Xperia XZ1 (SO-01K) and Xperia XZ1 Compact (SO-02K) devices, which is designed to offer easy access to a range of services. The application is being run with the support of a Nok Nok Labs server.

With this high-profile name leading the way, a number of other organizations are likely to follow in embracing FIDO UAF 1.1 to help end users get the most out of their Android devices’ biometric authentication capabilities.