Biometric smartphones to become mainstream in 2014: Ericsson

Ericsson ConsumerLab has identified emerging consumer trends for 2014 in a new report and gives a special nod to biometrics as one of the hottest and fastest growing technologies, ripe for widespread adoption.

Based annual interviews with over 100,000 individuals in more than 40 countries and 15 megacities, the Ericsson consumer report has found that 52 percent of smartphone users want to use their fingerprints instead of passwords and 48 percent are interesting in using eye-recognition to unlock their smart devices.  “A total of 74 percent believe that biometric smartphones will become mainstream during 2014,” the report notes.

This report joins a growing chorus of similar reports with congruent findings on biometrics, but also noted other insights, including an increased penetration of internet service and the prevalence of apps to track personal data like blood pressure, pulse and steps.

“The most important trend we see is the mass demand for apps and services across all industries and societal sectors – which has the potential to fundamentally change everyday life,” Michael Björn, Head of Research at ConsumerLab said.

Another new report, this one from Goode Intelligence, has found that by 2018 almost 3.4 billion users will have biometric features on their mobile devices, and that by 2017 there will be over 990 million mobile devices with fingerprint sensors.

Recent analysis from Frost & Sullivan, reported in BiometricUpdate.com, has also found that fingerprint recognition will remain the leading biometric technology in consumer electronics for at least the new few years

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consumer  |  Ericsson  |  mobile  |  report  |  smartphone  |  trends