# Huawei’s Smartwatch Fingerprint Sensor Patent: A Revolutionary Move for Wearables?
Smartwatches have significantly progressed since their introduction, transforming from basic notification gadgets to sophisticated instruments for health monitoring, communication, and even contactless payments. Yet, they still fall short of smartphones in terms of biometric security. While smartphones have widely embraced fingerprint sensors and facial recognition, most smartwatches continue to depend on PIN codes for security. This landscape might soon shift, as Huawei has secured a patent for a 3D fingerprint sensor for smartwatches, which could change the way we engage with wearable technology. However, will this breakthrough come to fruition, and might it motivate rivals such as Apple and Samsung to follow suit?
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## **What Huawei’s Patent Offers**
Huawei’s newly patented 3D fingerprint sensor stands out from typical biometric scanners. Unlike standard 2D fingerprint scanners, this cutting-edge optical sensor is tailored to function effortlessly with AMOLED smartwatch screens. It is capable of recognizing fingerprints from various angles, enhancing both versatility and user experience.
### **Essential Features of the Patent**
1. **Multi-Fingerprint Recognition**: The sensor can capture multiple fingerprints, assigning distinct actions to each one. For example, tapping a message with your thumb might result in a reply, while your index finger could initiate a call.
2. **Gesture Controls**: Beyond basic fingerprint identification, the patent outlines the possibility of rotating your finger in either direction to modify settings such as volume or brightness. This introduces a level of intuitive control that could further enhance smartwatch functionality.
3. **Heightened Security**: The fingerprint sensor might replace PIN codes for contactless transactions, allowing for faster and more secure payments. Instead of entering a PIN on a cramped screen, users could authenticate purchases with a quick fingerprint scan.
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## **Current Landscape of Fingerprint Sensors in Smartwatches**
Huawei’s patent marks not the first venture into implementing fingerprint sensors within smartwatches. Both Samsung and Apple have investigated similar concepts previously, but neither has succeeded in incorporating them into their devices.
### **Samsung’s Initial Efforts**
Samsung patented an under-display fingerprint sensor for smartwatches in 2018. The patent also suggested the potential for an under-display camera for iris scanning, but neither feature has reached the market. Given the absence of updates, it appears unlikely that Samsung is actively pursuing this technology for the Galaxy Watch series.
### **Apple’s Touch ID Aspirations**
Apple submitted a patent in 2022 aimed at integrating Touch ID with the Apple Watch’s Side button. Another report indicated that Apple explored embedding the fingerprint sensor within the Digital Crown of the Apple Watch Series 7. However, like Samsung, Apple has not yet actualized these proposals, compelling users to depend on PIN codes or paired iPhones for security measures.
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## **The Value of Fingerprint Sensors in Smartwatches**
Introducing fingerprint sensors to smartwatches could mitigate numerous user issues:
1. **Efficient Payments**: Contactless payments are a widely favored function on smartwatches, but entering a PIN on a limited screen can be inconvenient. A fingerprint sensor would streamline the process and enhance security.
2. **Customized Controls**: Multi-fingerprint recognition could allow users to designate various actions to different fingers, augmenting the smartwatch’s capabilities.
3. **Enhanced Accessibility**: Gesture-based controls, like twisting a finger to change settings, could increase smartwatch usability for those facing mobility difficulties.
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## **Obstacles and Constraints**
Though the concept of a fingerprint-enabled smartwatch is exciting, several challenges must be addressed:
1. **Technical Difficulty**: Integrating a 3D fingerprint sensor into a compact smartwatch display poses a considerable engineering hurdle. This could elevate production costs and complicate manufacturing operations.
2. **Security Issues**: Fingerprint sensors in smartphones have encountered challenges such as brute-force attacks and misrecognition. Smartwatches, equipped with smaller sensors, may be even more susceptible to these vulnerabilities.
3. **Market Acceptance**: Huawei’s smartwatches are mainly available in Asia, which limits the worldwide impact of this advancement. For the technology to become mainstream, industry leaders like Apple and Samsung would need to adopt it.
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## **Will Huawei’s Patent Motivate Competitors?**
Huawei’s patent certainly captures interest, but whether it will culminate in a market-ready product is still unclear. If Huawei successfully brings this technology to life, it could establish a new benchmark for smartwatch security and functionality, possibly compelling Apple and Samsung to reconsider their own fingerprint sensor patents.
Apple, with its well-established ecosystem and emphasis on user-centric design, could weave Touch ID into future Apple Watch models, improving both security and user convenience. Samsung, recognized for its innovative display technology, may also revitalize its under-display fingerprint sensor idea for the Galaxy Watch series.
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## **The Horizon of Biometric Smartwatches**
The smartwatch market is primed for innovation, and biometric authentication could represent the next significant advancement. While
