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Replication before application: Galaxy S9 may come with a Face ID module of its own

By Daniel Petrov

Updated: Oct 30, 2017, 2:10 AM

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Replication before application: Galaxy S9 may come with a Face ID module of its own

Galaxy S9 is shaping up to be a fine under-the-hood upgrade over its predecessor the S8, with a new 7nm Snapdragon 845 or Exynos 9810 processor, and perhaps a dual camera, but, as Apple likes to put it, there is one more thing. A tech blog out of the wild east that usually has credible scoops, is now confirming the vague supply chain rumors that Galaxy S9 will come with "3D sensor front camera." The only one such undertaking we can think of is Face ID on the iPhone X, so Samsung might be eyeing a similar depth-sensing kit for the Galaxy S9, in a me-too kind of move.

Samsung's face recognition tech might turn into Face ID for the Galaxy S9

We've seen too many of these moves over the year, from both sides of the aisle, to dismiss the tip as a mere speculation. Samsung is no stranger to facial recognition sets on its phones, albeit not ones with the 3D-mapping features that Apple uses. The set on the iPhone X is not just for unlocking the phone, though - Apple wouldn't go to such lengths for this simple action - but rather enables a plethora of options for the future, like using your own face mimics on a virtual avatar in iMessage or for gaming. Apple and Samsung are the world's largest smartphone makers and profit holders, so they are certainly keeping an eye on each other, and often trying to replicate the number of arrows each has in their respective quivers, so we've seen plenty of that. Moreover, Samsung has the Infinity Display design that would allow it to place a 3D-mapping camera kit without resorting to notch-style cutouts and the like.

The issue is, however, that Apple is ahead in 3D face-mapping technology, and even then it struggles with procuring enough sensors of the needed quality to make the tech work on a consumer level, causing unprecedented delay in the launch of Apple's most anticipated handset in recent memory - the iPhone X. Thus, Samsung will have a steep hill to climb if it is indeed bent on releasing the Galaxy S9 earlier than usual to combat the deluge of iPhone X units that will be hitting the market around that time. There's that, and then there's finding actual useful application for the technology that will stem from Samsung's eventual replication of the new Face ID tech on Apple's anniversary iPhone. With $13 billion profit forecast for the past trimester, though, Samsung might overcome those hurdles by simply throwing money and engineering prowess at the idea, what do you think?

source: Ice Universe & MyDrivers (translated)

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.