News Roundup: Biometrics in Africa

Last week at FindBiometrics we brought a close to Voice Biometrics 2016 with the latest entry in our renowned expert webinar series. The identity industry had its eyes on Africa as the ID4 Africa conference took place, bringing with it major new product and project launches, and we reported on the latest news concerning biometrics in the automotive sector.

Here’s a look back at the top stories from last week in biometrics and  identity management:

Voice Biometrics Month 2016 Comes To A Close

With the end of May comes the end of Voice Biometrics Month 2016. The featured examination of voice and speech recognition technology culminated in a webinar, Voice Biometrics in a Hyper-Connected World, which brought together an expert panel to discuss how the contactless modality of the month is changing everything from the call center to social robots. We capped off the festivities with a month-long round up of all the voice-related news and features while also reporting on the latest happenings in the market.

WEBINAR: Voice Biometrics in a Hyper-Connected World

Voice Biometrics Month 2016: The Roundup

Gartner Names AGNITIO a Cool Vendor in VoIP Authentication

DBS, OCBC Announce Voice Authentication Plans

ID4 Africa

Last week the identity management industry looked to Africa, a region long heralded as a frontier market for biometrics, where the ID4 Africa conference was taking place. Credence ID made a great deal of news at the event, with the launch of its new CredenceTAB mobile biometric tablet and the expansion of its student identification project in West Africa. On day one of the conference we published an interview with Credence ID CEO Bruce Hanson and got the inside scoop on both of these developments and more.

Integrated Biometrics was in the ID4 Africa news last week too, the conference providing the perfect opportunity to announce its increased focus on the African markets.

INTERVIEW: Bruce Hanson, President & CEO, Credence ID

Credence ID Launches Tablet for Major Identity Projects

Biometric Student ID Solution Expanding in West Africa

Integrated Biometrics Strengthens Focus on Africa Market

IoT, Connected Car Biometrics

Two new reports had us talking about the automotive biometrics market last week, in terms of voice recognition and access control respectively. Connected cars are a subset of the Internet of Things and we saw another aspect of the IoT make the news too, with rumors that Apple’s impending smart home control hub will have both voice command and face recognition biometrics.

As Smart Home Hub, Siri Might Recognize Your Face

Report Assesses Nascent LAMEA Automotive Biometric Access System Market

Automotive Voice Recognition Market Gains Traction in New Report

Biometrics on Laptops

In consumer electronics biometrics, laptop computers were making headlines last week as speculation surfaced concerning the next MacBook Pro’s inclusion of a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Out of the realm of speculation into into the real, consumable world, Acer launched a new 2-in-1 tablet laptop with an embedded fingerprint sensor.

New Acer 2-in-1 Brings Biometrics to Budget Computing

Will The Next MacBook Pro Have Touch ID?

Fingerprints

Speaking of fingerprint sensors on consumer tech, Precise Biometrics announced last week that it has had its software integrated into 100 smartphones—a major milestone that only just preceded a new integration with a tablet made possible through a partnership with Synaptics. Fingerprint Cards, meanwhile, announced that it will be implementing its planned share split. NEXT Biometrics was in the news too, announcing its Q1 2016 results and releasing its outlook for the remainder of the year.

FPC Announces Share Split Date, Buyback Plan

New Tablet Integrates Precise BioMatch Mobile

Precise Biometrics Reaches Smartphone Milestone

NEXT Biometrics Issues Q1 Report, 2016 Outlook

Mobile Wallets and Biometric FinTech

Apple Pay gained the support of multiple banks in Singapore last week while behavioral biometrics took the focus in the FinTech news. NuData partnered with NAORCA to help crack down on retail fraud, and a new behavioral biometrics app developed by BehavioSec and Unisys won an innovation award at this year’s Retail Banking: London conference.

Apple Pay Wins Support of Singapore Banks

Behavioral Biometrics App Wins Retail Banking Award

NuData Partners with Retail Crime Prevention Organization

Law Enforcement and Border Control

Last week we learned that a great deal of biometric profiles linked to suspected terrorists were deleted and how such an incident came about. In less dramatic news related to border security, Delta Airlines announced that it will be offering free CLEAR eGate enrollment for its Diamond Medallion frequent flier club members.

How Hundreds of Terror Suspects’ Biometric Profiles Were Deleted

Delta Promotes Biometric Screening to Help Manage Airport Wait Times

Beyond The Password

BioConnect named Norbian as its new UK distributor last week, but also made the news thanks to its recently announced FIDO Alliance membership, positioning it as a company dedicated to replacing the password with strong authentication. A new survey found that the majority of respondents in the US and UK are tired of password security, so FIDO’s growing ranks should come as a welcome sign that relief is on its way for the login-fatigued. Android seems poised to answer the call for post-password security too, with news surfacing last week that it intends to be done with passwords by the end of 2016.

Will Google Kill The Password on Android In 2016?

Survey Finds Majority Unsatisfied with Password Security

BioConnect Becomes FIDO Alliance Member

BioConnect Partners with UK Distributor Norbain

Twenty Years of Crossmatch

Finally, last week was also a time to celebrate a major anniversary: Crossmatch has turned 20 years old. Discover the company’s long and storied history by following the link bellow.

Crossmatch Marks 20-Year Anniversary

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Stay posted to FindBiometrics throughout the week as we continue to bring you the best in identity management news. Be sure to follow us on Twitter so you don’t miss a thing.

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May 30, 2016 – by Peter B. Counter