Precise Biometrics Inks Licensing Deal with Samsung

“…Precise Biometrics says the agreement’s annual support and maintenance fee should generate revenues starting in Q4 of this year…”

Precise Biometrics has just snagged what is perhaps its most high-profile client yet in the smartphone sector. It has entered into a licensing agreement with Samsung, through the latter’s System LSI Business.

The deal is based on an annual maintenance and support fee, plus licensing fees on a per-unit basis. It should eventually see the integration of Precise’s fingerprint recognition algorithm software into new mobile devices from Samsung; and in a statement announcing the agreement, Precise Biometrics CEO Håkan Persson implied that this will occur via fingerprint sensor produced by Samsung itself, asserting that his team is pleased that Samsung chose Precise Biometrics software “as they enter the market for fingerprint sensors.”

It’s much too early to say whether Precise’ technology could find its way into flagship devices like the Samsung Galaxy S8, which is also expected to sport iris recognition, but Precise Biometrics says the agreement’s annual support and maintenance fee should generate revenues starting in Q4 of this year, even if the volume-dependent per-unit fees can’t be predicted.

With Precise having sought various new licensing partners over the last several months, Samsung may be the biggest catch yet and should help to strengthen the company’s market position as a leading biometric software provider to the mobile market.