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Qualcomm’s second-gen ultrasonic fingerprint reader is larger and faster
June 26, 2025
Are you still frustrated with the accuracy and responsiveness ofultrasonic fingerprint readersin phones like theGalaxy S20? You might not be with future phones. Qualcomm hasintroduceda 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2 that promises to alleviate many of the headaches of earlier reader technology.
The new ultrasonic sensor boasts a 77% larger fingerprint reader area that captures 1.7 times more data than Gen 1, Qualcomm said. More importantly, it’s about 50% faster than its predecessor. You should not only spend less time worrying about where to place your finger, but unlock your phone that much quicker.
See also:How fingerprint scanners work — capacitive, optical, and ultrasonic
The updated sensor is also just 0.2mm (0.008in) thick, making it practical for edge-to-edge flexible OLED displays infoldable phones. It still offers an advantage over capacitive sensors by recognizing your fingers even when they’re wet.
Qualcomm expects the first phones using its new ultrasonic fingerprint reader to be available in early 2021. The company didn’t name manufacturers or devices, but theGalaxy S21’sJanuary 14 debut is right around the corner. It won’t be surprising if Samsung uses Qualcomm’s newest fingerprint sensor in its 2021 flagships given the two companies’ history, and we’d expect other Android phone makers to follow suit.
It’s uncertain how well the improved reader will work in practice. It’s well-timed, however. Given anongoing pandemicwhere mask use makes face recognition impractical, it’s more important than ever to have fingerprint sensors that work quickly and reliably.
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