LG’s MNO subsidiary LG U+ is developing a biometric SIM card, reports BusinessKorea.
Called a universal subscriber identity module (USIM), the device is aimed at enabling comprehensive and consistent biometric authentication for users. It will store a user’s biometric data for use in a range of applications in banking, shopping, and various Internet of Things services.
While biometric authentication is already used to verify transactions on mPayment platforms like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, and is also used to similar effect on a number of mobile banking apps, LG U+’s concept appears to be more ambitious, with the company seeking to establish a universal, digital ID document that could be used in a range of purposes. Underlining its seriousness, the company recently obtained FIDO Certification for its USIM, and it’s also working with major Korean telecoms KT and SK Telecom to set up a joint platform for authentication services.
The move echoes biometric SIM registration efforts in countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan, but unlike those countries’ security-conscious, government-mandated programs, LG U+’s interest here is market-focused and appears to revolve around convenience as well as security.
Source: BusinessKorea
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June 16, 2016 – by Alex Perala
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