Partner Apps, Devices Embrace Windows Hello Security

It has been about a year and a half since Microsoft first launched Windows Hello, its biometric security platform for its flagship operating system, and with the platform having had some time to mature, the company is starting to promote it to everyday users a little bit more intensively.

In a post on its website, Microsoft asserts that Windows Hello’s biometric login is three times faster than a password, not to mention more secure. The company also points to the many high-profile apps that are now compatible with Windows Hello login, including Netflix, Spotify, Roku, Amazon, and more.

There are also more devices emerging to support Windows Hello’s fingerprint and infrared facial scanning capabilities. In addition to the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book devices made by Microsoft, we’ve seen third parties like Acer and Dell producing compatible tablets and notebooks; and accessories like BIO-key’s USB fingerprint scanners are designed to bring fingerprint-scanning functionality even to laptops and computers that don’t support such functionality on an embedded basis.

It all points to an increasingly important role for Windows Hello in the Microsoft ecosystem, and the growing popularity of biometric security as companies and consumers alike seek to move beyond the password.

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December 14, 2016 – by Alex Perala