News: Samsung Scraps In-Display Fingerprint Scanner for Galaxy Note 8

Samsung Scraps In-Display Fingerprint Scanner for Galaxy Note 8

Reports of Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 having an in-display fingerprint scanner have been circulating for the past few days. Fans have been excitedly discussing the potential of the phablet possessing this technology, as it would be the first phone released with these capabilities. Unfortunately, a Samsung official revealed today to Naver — a South-Korean web portal — that Samsung has decided to forgo incorporating the feature into the Galaxy Note 8 due to technical limitations and time constraints.

The rumor that the Galaxy Note 8 would have an in-display fingerprint scanner originated from images posted by leaker Poyoco Tech. They reported that Samsung would incorporate this feature into the Galaxy Note 8, but only if they moved forward with this specific design. Although people were hopeful this rumor would be confirmed, this information was taken with a grain of salt, as Poyoco Tech is not a proven source.

Leaked images from Poyoco Tech. Image via Twitter

Sadly, this rumor was later disproven by comments made by an unnamed Samsung official this morning. The Samsung official told Naver that the company intended to equip the phone with this feature but was unable to.

"We made every effort to install a display-integrated fingerprint sensor on Galaxy Note 8, but we decided not to install it on this strategic phone due to various technical limitations such as security."

— Unnamed Samsung Official

The company could not address the technical limitations and security concerns adequately considering the Galaxy Note 8 is set to be released in August ahead of the highly-anticipated iPhone 8. It's disappointing but understandable, considering a secure, traditional fingerprint sensor is preferable to a potentially unsafe one. And knowing Samsung's explosive track record with phone safety, the safer the better.

With the absence of this feature, it's likely Samsung will incorporate a fingerprint reader on the rear panel of the phone like it has with the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. Let's hope they continue to explore the feature and include it in future releases.

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Cover photo via Kamil Malinowski/Freestocks
Screenshot by Sarah Tseggay/Gadget Hacks

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