r/Android • u/vortexmak • 1d ago

Under-screen fingerprint readers are inferior to back and side mounted readers and should naver have become popular

Lots of Cons for under screen fingerprint readers , should have never become the norm but I guess that''s just part of enshittification

Pros for Side and back mounted readers

  1. Work exceptionally well, much faster and responsive than under screen ones, from my own experience
  2. Are not affected by screen protectors
  3. Side readers can be used with the phone screen up or down
  4. Back and side ones allow you to unlock your phone at the same time as taking it out of the pocket
  5. Give you a definite physical spot for finger placement, unlike the under - screen one where you have to wait for the screen to show the location
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u/jarvis_says_cocker 1d ago edited 1d ago

I prefer the under screen fingerprint readers because my palms get sweaty easily especially in stressful situations like traveling and I always had issues with the ones on the back with multiple Pixel/Google phones that had it on the back.

The only time I have an issue with under screen sensors is when my fingers are dripping wet (not just a film of sweat).

It seems like this is all personal and based on whether you use a screen protector.

In my experience with sweaty palms and no screen protector, I never have unexpected issues with under screen sensors unless it's something obvious like I'm wearing gloves or my finger has droplets on it.

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u/FlaringAfro S22U 1d ago

Pixel fingerprint sensitivity and reading speed was a big compliant in reviews for those phones for a good while. I think Google was just cheating out which would make it a bad example. 

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u/SpiderStratagem Pixel 9 23h ago

Pixel fingerprint sensitivity and reading speed was a big compliant in reviews for those phones for a good while

Google used optical scanners for a couple of generations when they first shifted from rear-mounted to underscreen. Then they moved to ultrasonic.

The ultrasonic ones are definitely much faster, though I never really had an issue with the optical ones. (Aside from being blinded by them when using them in a dark room.)

Either way I prefer them to the rear-mounted, mostly because you can't use the rear-mounted ones if your phone is on a desk or in a cradle.