Windows Hello supporting about 100 biometric-enabled devices and accessories

Microsoft recently noted in a blog post that there are as many as 100 Windows devices and accessories across all platforms starting from laptops, all-in-ones, 2-in-1s, tablets, phones to peripheral devices to use with Windows Hello.

Windows Hello, a key biometric authentication feature of Windows 10, enables people to use their face, iris or fingerprint biometrics to unlock and gain access to Windows 10 devices.

So all you need to do is just look or touch to sign into the Windows device using the technology that Microsoft says is safer than traditional passwords.

As Microsoft’s first biometric solution partner, BIO-key International, Inc. paved the way for Windows Hello biometric-enabled devices. From November 2015 to December 2015, BIO-key demonstrated fingerprint readers at the Microsoft Ignite your Business with Windows 10 and Office 2016 launch events.

The promotional tour was designed to help educate IT professionals, technical decision makers and enterprise developers about Windows 10 and Office 2016, including the biometric authentication logon capabilities available to Windows customers.

More recently, BIO-key launched a pair of new fingerprint readers — EcoID for desktops and SideTouch for tablets and laptops — to allow consumers to take full advantage of biometrics to secure their non-mobile or less-mobile devices.

Now, more than a year later, Microsoft has expanded the number of biometric-enabled Windows devices and accessories available across all platforms to more than 100 devices.

The company currently has more than 20 partners — which include HP, Lenovo, Xiaomi, Huawei and Asus — delivering Windows Hello devices.

One of the more notable devices is the Nymi Band, a wearable device that allows users to sign into Windows 10 device by simply tapping it twice.

Yubico’s YubiKey is a USB connected device that enables users to plug it into a USB port and then unlock their Windows 10 device. The device can support two-factor authentication including NFC.

Another Windows Hello compatible device is the RSA SecureID Access Authenticator app, which can convert nearly any device into a Windows Hello companion device.

Once the app is downloaded on a mobile device, users can remotely sign into their Windows 10 PC by entering a PIN or biometric verification from the app.

Finally, HID Global’s Seos card is an NFC-based companion device that enables users to unlock Windows Hello by tapping the device with their finger.

Article Topics

BIO-key  |  biometrics  |  Microsoft  |  Nymi Band  |  RSA  |  Windows Hello  |  Yubico