Samsung Facial Recognition Years Away from Payments Applications: Report

Samsung won’t use facial recognition to confirm Samsung Pay payments anytime soon, reports The Korea Herald.

While Samsung’s newest flagship smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+, use the technology together with iris scanning for device unlocking, a source from within the company reportedly told the newspaper that the facial recognition technology will not be ready for sole use as payment authentication for another four years at least, “considering the current camera and deep learning technology levels.” Asked for comment, a Samsung spokesperson emphasized that the iris and fingerprint scanning systems already in place for payment authentication are effective, asserting, “The question that when [facial recognition] will be used is meaningless.”

Facial recognition appears to have been a late addition in the Galaxy S8’s development, with speculation for much of the time leading up to its release focusing on the anticipated iris scanning. The addition of facial recognition to the mix only came to light last month, with a Samsung official reportedly explaining that it would complement the ‘limited’ accuracy and speed of the iris scanning system.

Apple, Samsung’s arch rival, is also thought to be working on the integration of facial recognition into its next iPhone device, though that company has been characteristically tight-lipped about any such efforts, and it isn’t clear if the technology would be used for payment confirmation on Apple Pay.