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This is where the Galaxy S9 fingerprint scanner goes

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By Daniel Petrov

Updated: Jan 22, 2018, 6:17 AM

The back of the A8 gives us a good hint about the Galaxy S9 rear

Samsung just unveiled its 2018 midrangers, the Galaxy A8 and A8+, and, buried in specs and size comparisons, as well as chomping on their respective pricing schemes, one might overlook the glaring change in those two phones, compared to their predecessors. Yes, we are talking about the fingerprint reader placement.

It's no longer housed underneath the display like on the A5 or A7 (2017), their predecessors. It's not even placed asymmetrically on the right of the camera area, like on the Galaxy S8, S8+ or Note 8. Nope, the finger scanner on the new A8 and A8+ lies right smack in the middle of the rear, where it belongs, sitting underneath the camera lens with a metal separator between the two.

Remember the recently leaked renders of the Galaxy S9 and S9+, coming from a source with a proven track record, who often outs renders of upcoming Galaxy phones based on scooped-up CAD designs? Well, those depicted the exact same placement and form of the S9 fingerprint reader as we are now having in flesh and blood on the A8 (2018). Thus, we'd wager to guess this is exactly how Samsung will resolve the popular backlash against the fingerprint reader position of the S8 and S8+, which take quite a lot of getting used to if you don't want to smudge your lenses, and is nigh impossible to hit on the Note 8 with smaller hands.

Granted, placing it under the cameras of the Galaxy S9 and S9+ may not fully resolve the smudging potential, but at least it will be much more ergonomic to hit by lefties and righties alike, what do you think?

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena from 2010 to 2025, 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.