Fingerprint scanners soon coming to Windows 10 Mobile

It seems like Microsoft has been playing Reversi with its competitors, by being the front-runner in fingerprint authentication on the desktop, while being a late bloomer on mobile. In Microsoft’s defense, Windows 10 Mobile is a platform that has yet to match the mass popularity of iOS and Android handsets, alas, as the saying goes, better late than never.

While support for Windows Hello, in regard to face recognition has been tested extensively on Windows phones, and demonstrated this week at the WinHEC conference, fingerprint scanners support in Windows 10 Mobile are reportedly planned, with the official debut marked by the release of the Anniversary Update for Windows 10 Mobile, and desktop, this Summer.

Fingerprint scanners are spreading like wildfire across new handsets, and are becoming the favorite way to unlock mobile devices, trumping passwords, PIN’s, patterns, and even facial recognition.

The accuracy of fingerprint-based biometrics has come a long way from its humble beginnings, and it is a lot harder to hack than it used to be. Fingerprint scanners on Windows 10 phones, much like Apple Touch-ID, and Samsung’s own fingerprint recognition hardware, can’t just be tricked with prints lifted from a whiskey glass at a bar using a piece of sticky tape, anymore than face recognition can be duped into authorizing access to a device with a photograph.

This is precisely why consumers love biometric technology: it’s fast, easy to use, and secure.

With that said, there is no guarantee that manufacturers will be rolling out their next new handsets with the brand new fingerprint scanners effective immediately, however, the aim of the massive Windows 10 update, is to ensure maximum compatibility with Windows Hello, and an easy way for manufacturers to start building devices as soon as the end of July.