In-display fingerprint biometrics rumored for Apple, implemented by Goodix as patent lawsuit filed

A new report shared by Barclays analysts with MacRumors seems to confirm previous rumors hinting at under-display fingerprint biometrics on the upcoming iPhone 13.

According to the document, “the new iPhones will ‘likely’ feature a biometric fingerprint scanner embedded under the display for authentication, in addition to Face ID.”

The device will also have a smaller notch and their LiDAR Scanner will remain limited to iPhone 13 Pro models only.

Apple has in the past couple of years hinted multiple times at an under-display fingerprint scanner for its iPhone devices.

Last April, an under-display optical fingerprint sensor technology for iPhones and other devices was unveiled by the company in a patent filing. More recently, another patent filed by the company last month showed biometric photodetector technology that could be used for under-display touch identification.

WaveTouch sues Huawei and Goodix for patent infringement

As fingerprint sensor implementations in smartphones multiply, a patent infringement lawsuit has been filed in a European patent court.

The latest alleged victim is London-based firm WaveTouch, which is suing Huawei and Goodix, China’s largest smartphone fingerprint sensors manufacturer, for infringing on its microlens design technology for in-display biometrics.

WaveTouch, which was spun out from the Technical University of Copenhagen, has offices just a few blocks away from Goodix’ in Shenzhen, and says a Chinese utility model patent application registered in 2019 protects its biometric accuracy enhancement technology.

According to the lawsuit, which was spotted by the Financial Times, WaveTouch’s technology designed to improve the accuracy of fingerprint readers was replicated by Goodix for its ‘ultra-thin’ optical sensor and incorporated into a number of smartphones, including flagship Huawei devices.

Initial estimates by the company place the number of produced sensors using the technology around 50 million, for an estimated revenue of £300 million (roughly US$417 million).

Those figures will rise further, with Goodix announcing implementations of its ultra-thin in-display fingerprint biometric sensor in the new Oppo Find X3, the RedMagic 6 series smartphone and RedMagic Watch, as well as the realme GT 5G.

The legal action was started by WaveTouch in January, and at the time of writing, Huawei and Goodix have not yet publicly commented on it. The companies have until the end of the month to file a defense.

A separate patent infringement case brought by Shanghai Sili Microelectronics against Goodix was withdrawn this week, according to the report.

Article Topics

Apple  |  biometric sensors  |  biometrics  |  fingerprint sensors  |  Goodix  |  Huawei  |  lawsuits  |  patents  |  smartphones  |  under display