Vendor Change Has Resolved Pixel’s Fingerprint Sensor Woes, Review Suggests

An early review of the upcoming Pixel 6A suggests that Google may have managed to fix some of its problems with its in-display fingerprint sensor. In-display fingerprint recognition was the only form of biometric authentication available on the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro, which proved to be a problem because the sensor was extremely unreliable. Google pushed several software updates to try to address the issue, but was unable to resolve the matter entirely.

The company’s struggles prompted Google to switch to a different sensor component for the more budget-friendly Pixel 6A, and that decision seems to be paying dividends. The Malaysian YouTuber Fazli Halim has managed to obtain a Pixel 6A a full month ahead of its July 28 launch date, and is reporting that the new phone’s fingerprint sensor does indeed perform better than the original Pixel 6 products. In a video review, Halim demonstrates that the Pixel 6 Pro usually needed more time to detect someone’s finger, often prompting people to “Hold a little longer.”

The 6A, on the other hand, had a better chance of authenticating a user with a simple tap. That finding does come with a few caveats, at least to the extent that each authentication event is unique and performance can vary from one situation to another. In some cases, the Pixel 6 Pro had no trouble detecting a print, while the Pixel 6A sometimes needed more than a tap. However, the overall pattern suggests that the Pixel 6A is more reliable, and will do a better job of recognizing users more quickly over time.

Since the Pixel 6A has not yet debuted, the software on Halim’s device may not be the same as the software that ships with the handsets that go to stores. As a result, there may be some more variance once consumers get their hands on the phone. The news nevertheless suggests that Google has listened to the feedback and is taking the public’s concern about its components seriously.

Sources: The Verge, Android Central

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(Originally posted on Mobile ID World)