Samsung confirms the Samsung Galaxy S10's fingerprint reader is useless, promises a fix (again)

Even before Samsung released their Galaxy S10 in March this year, rumours of an ineffective fingerprint reader were already circulating.  The ultrasonic fingerprint reader, which uses sound waves instead of green light, couldn’t be supported by third-party screen protectors; meaning that other people could potentially unlock the phone.  In rarer circumstances, others have been successful in using 3D printing to replicate the user’s fingerprint and gain access to their device.

Subsequently, the company rolled out a security update less than a month later, in hopes to rectify the issue.  While the update made the scanner “snappier and more responsive”, it, unfortunately, didn’t amount to much in terms of security.

Since then, Samsung has advised users to take precautionary measures of their own; like avoiding screen protectors made of silicone and plastic and opting for an officially-certified screen protector instead.

Despite an unsuccessful previous attempt, Samsung assures us that they are currently working on a fix:

Samsung Electronics is aware of the case of the S10’s malfunctioning fingerprint recognition and will soon issue a software patch.

Until the issue has been fully resolved, it has been recommended to disable the feature completely and use the “traditional” security reinforcements instead.

Source: Engadget