Fingerprint Cards working on biometric sensors for under ‘pol-less OLED’ displays

Under-display fingerprint biometrics may soon be possible to implement on mobile devices with thinner screens with technology under development by Fingerprint Cards.

CEO Christian Fredrikson told an investor conference organized by Erik Penser Bank that there is a new technology in development by the company. A Fingerprint Cards’ representative told Biometric Update in an email that the new technology referred to is for ‘pol-less OLED,’ or ‘polarizer-less OLED,’ displays, which can reportedly improve both brightness and power consumption, while decreasing the thickness of the display layer.

Fredrikson spoke during the event about the steps taken by the company to alleviate its supply chain challenges, and the company’s profitability and scaling prospects. Fingerprint Cards grew 16 percent last year, with improving gross margins, and Fredrikson says the company’s newer areas will have higher margins than biometric sensors for mobile devices. As the business scales, the cost base is not expected to grow in the same way.

Mobile currently makes up 90 percent of Fingerprint Cards’ sales, but Fredrikson says that research and development investments in the new growth areas have already mostly been made. To increase its mobile device sales from around a 30 percent market share closer to 40 percent, Fredrikson says the key is offering the highest security.

New sensors for future display technology

Looking a little further out, Fredrikson teased a new biometric sensor product. “There’s also a new technology coming in with new displays, but that a bit ahead,” he said.

Fredrikson says the new solution is not an optical sensor, “so the under-display market will also change.” He suggested it would be part of “a third segment coming into the mobile phone industry.”

Biometric Update reached out to Fingerprint Cards for details.

“Fingerprints view this as an opportunity to drive new innovation in biometrics, and they are currently looking into different technical solutions for under-display fingerprint sensing on pol-less OLED,” the company representative writes. “The product innovation in this area is focused on the smartphone industry, but wearables, tablets, infotainment systems, etc. are also possible applications. At the same time, Fingerprints believe that capacitive fingerprint sensors will continue to command a significant market share in the mobile industry, and this technology will also be a viable option for devices with pol-less OLED.”

Article Topics

biometrics  |  Fingerprint Cards  |  fingerprint sensors  |  investment  |  mobile biometrics  |  OLED  |  research and development  |  smartphones  |  under display