Smartphone biometrics peaking with digital identity wallet land-rush

Growth across the full spectrum of biometrics implementations is reflected in this week’s most-read articles on Biometric Update, but most of all in mobile phones. Consumer mobile devices will store the digital identity wallets T-Systems is making with partners, and phones running Google software are refusing to edit photo ID cards. A Mitek survey on bank apps shows the importance of getting biometric authentication right. Meanwhile, Pangiam’s biometric software for airport systems are joining BigBear.ai’s portfolio, and Touch Biometrix has launched it’s FAP60 sensor for enterprise and government applications.

Top biometrics news of the week

Pakistan is introducing biometric checks for the head of each family with an applicant for an ID card to cut down on fraudulent IDs. NADRA has taken other steps to secure the country’s identity systems with biometrics this year, and is now also joining an investigation into where all the illegal documents are coming from.

Australia’s myGov digital identity platform has been used to carry out US$2 billion in scams already this year, according to government stats. Phishing and other hacks are extracting large volumes of credentials, which are winding up on the dark web in commercial fraud products. Passkeys are being introduced to myGov in a step to address one of the system’s weaknesses.

The EU’s Parliament and Council have agreed on the framework for European Digital ID Wallets. The framework sets out a broad range of use cases for the wallet and the credentials it can store for both public and private sector services, and stipulates that the wallet must be issued for free. Idemia weighs in with a post on the goals for the EUDIW, and some common misconceptions about it.

Deutsche Telekom subsidiary T-Systems is collaborating with Gaia-X on a digital ID wallet intended to support self-sovereign identity and expected to be released next year. T-Systems is also working with Verimi on a digital wallet proof-of-concept for tac consultants, providing identity verification and authentication, as it increases its focus on digital wallets and ID.

Google has blocked the manipulation of photo ID documents on its Magic Editor to prevent people from committing fraud, and is now adding an error message to explain the limitation, at least on its newest Pixel devices. Human faces and ID cards are recognized by the app, which previously just ignored requests to alter them.

Early successes are fueling ambitions at euConsent, with conference attendees last week suggesting the organization take on a key role in building standards for age assurance interoperability. Age verification has matured quickly, as have rules requiring it. Alabama is among the latest jurisdictions where lawmakers intend to pass new age requirements for websites with adult content.

Pangiam is merging with U.S. government technology provider BigBear.ai in a $70 million deal to create a complete portfolio of AI vision products. Bigbear has primarily served defense and intelligence agencies, while Pangiam’s strength is in the air travel sector. Pangiam is carving a unique consolidation path, as a public-private partnership company that snapped up two face biometrics providers in 2021.

A ranking of mobile bank apps for deposits from Mitek reflects the importance of effective authentication to the user experience. The ranking is based on customer feedback, which generally supports the company’s pitch for modernized, carefully-architected identity verification and authentication.

Touch Biometrix says its new FAP60 sensor is the largest-area and thinnest capacitive sensor on the market built with thin-film transistor technology. The TFT sensors is the first to market from the company, and is built in collaboration with Sharp Display Technology.

Mobile driver’s licenses are Americans’ best hope to get access to digital services enjoyed by people elsewhere, Thales DIS Identity & Biometrics Solutions Head of Federal Government Sales Neville Pattinson writes in a Biometric Update guest post. For this to happen leadership is needed from states to join the early adopters, and from relying parties to start accepting them.

Australian media are reporting that a woman using Airbnb was unable to complete the facial recognition check it uses for identity verification, because of the shade of her skin. Airbnb insisted to Biometric Update earlier this year that it does not use biometrics, and did not respond to questions about the incident.

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Article Topics

biometric authentication  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  digital wallets  |  facial recognition  |  week in review