Xiaomi’s next major smartphone may feature an under-glass, ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, according to new rumors.
The speculation concerns Xiaomi’s Mi 5S, which is expected to launch soon. In addition to impressive technical specifications such as a pressure-sensitive display, 6GB of RAM, and a 16MP rear camera, the device is also expected to include a Qualcomm Sense ID scanner. That technology uses ultrasonic waves to produce a 3D image of a user’s fingerprint, allowing not only for more precise and secure biometric identification, but also for the sensor to be embedded under glass, since it can scan through the material. Accordingly, the Mi 5S is expected to eschew a physical home button.
It would be a bold move for the China-based OEM, which used a capacitive sensor from FPC for the original Mi5, and has been a reliable patron of that company more generally. It would also reflect a technological leap ahead of Apple, the company most responsible for pioneering mobile biometrics with its Touch ID fingerprint scanning system.
As such, there’s good reason for skepticism. This is all still speculation, after all, and mobile OEMs don’t usually introduce radical hardware changes for iterative product updates like the Mi 5S. Still, it’s an exciting possibility.
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