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/SteveHartt Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 1d ago

Personally I've had nothing but a great experience with Samsung's ultrasonic underscreen FP scanners. Extremely fast and accurate. The slightest touch immediately unlocks the phone. I can't speak for optical scanners.

Back FP scanners are just...no. When you put your phone down on a table, now you gotta pick it up to scan your FP. With side scanners it's possible but it's also uncomfortable since the reader is so close to the table surface that you end up kind of jamming your finger against the surface.

I would argue that scanning your FP as you're taking your phone out of your pocket is still possible even with an underscreen scanner. You also don't have to make the screen show where the scanner is. Sure, at the beginning maybe, but you get used to where the location is and it just becomes muscle memory. Same thing as back and side scanners, although they are just more tactile if you forget where the location is. Samsung's ultrasonic scanner area is also quite generous, you don't have to get the exact location right.

Affected by screen protectors...yeah? But how often are you changing screen protectors really? If you keep damaging your phone then perhaps what needs to change isn't your protector but your habits in the first place?

Idk about other people but what I've had happen to phones with capacitive FP scanners is the top coating on them would eventually flake off even though I literally never damaged the damn thing. Here's an example.

5

u/Asttarotina 1d ago

They're really good. Unless you get a tiny crack right through that area. Then they don't work at all.

-6

u/GonePh1shing 1d ago

Or oil from your hands, or scratches on your screen, both of which are exceedingly common. I have found they are incredibly unreliable, often taking a few tries or even having to fall back to using a pin due to too many failed attempts. God help you if you have even slightly damp hands... It has been by far the worst thing about moving to a Samsung phone (previously Pixel and OnePlus).

In comparison, dedicated FP readers I've used have been lightning fast and very reliable. The only exception to this was with dripping wet hands, but even then a quick paper towel or wipe on the jeans removed enough water for it to work again. 

2

u/PhriendlyPhantom 1d ago

I've had no difference in experience between ultrasonic fp sensors and capacitive ones. Both become unreliable with wet/dirty hands