Biometric authentication app downloads to reach 770m by 2019: Juniper Research

Juniper Research has released a new report entitled “Human Interface & Biometric Technologies: Emerging Ecosystems, Opportunities & Forecasts 2014-2019” that found that more than 770 million biometric authentication applications will be downloaded per annum by 2019.

The forecasted figure is significantly higher than the 6 million downloads in 2014, and will considerably lower the dependence on alphanumeric passwords in the mobile phone market.

Juniper Research’s report also found that many high-profile deployments of biometric authentication techniques would drive wider adoption, highlighting Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor working in combination with NFC and tokenization to increase security for Apple Pay transactions.

Fingerprint authentication would account for the majority of these apps in the medium term, as a result of the growing deployment of fingerprint scanners in mid-range smartphones.

The report also mentions that there has been an emergence of other forms of biometric identification that do not require embedded hardware, including Descartes Biometrics’ ERGO ear print biometric authentication app and Nuance’s voice authentication service.

One of the most important benefits of biometrics is its ability to improve accessibility by lowering rejection rates of authentication systems, said the report, explaining that biometric applications can improve security and the user experience by making it easy to use.

As consumers work toward lowering the chances of their social media profiles being compromised, it is possible that companies such as Facebook will adopt facial scanning to provide stronger authentication security.

The report highlights the importance of reassuring consumers regarding the security of biometric technologies over alphanumeric authentication, emphasizing that significant public education would be needed in order for these technologies to be fully adopted.

The whitepaper can be downloaded from the Juniper website together with further details of the full report and the attendant Interactive Forecast Excel.

Previously reported, Juniper Research published a report in December that forecasts the global market for services based on gesture and biometric interface technologies will grow from less than $2 million in 2014 to $1.2 billion in 2019.

Article Topics

Apple Pay  |  biometric application  |  biometric sensors  |  biometrics  |  mobile app  |  Touch ID