LG G5 To Feature Iris Recognition Technology To Take Down Apple And Samsung's Fingerprint Scanner

The 2014 flagship LG G4 has recently been released by all major carriers in the U.S., but now there’s news about the successor LG G5. This time around, LG is reportedly confronting biometrics head-on.

In the past two years, authentication with the help of a fingerprint scanner has become a norm in pretty much all high-end devices. Very recently, Google integrated fingerprint scanning technology as part of the new Android M OS, which makes it easier for OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to utilize. But now, according to a South Korean report, the LG G5 will feature iris recognition technology. The report also says the LG G5 release date is pegged for the first half of 2016.

The iris recognition technology is reportedly in the development phase under Irience, a South Korean firm focused on biometrics. The development is at an advanced stage as the hardware modules required for the technology are reportedly ready. Work on the software is expected to be completed in two or three months.

In the meantime, engineers are reportedly working to increase the scanning range from 30 cm (12 inches) to an arm's length of 50 cm (20 inches). None of LG's handsets come with fingerprint scanner support. Therefore, the company might skip this technology altogether and move on to the next big thing, i.e., iris scanners.

According to the South Korean report, “Market watchers see that LG Electronics is focused on the iris recognition technology in order to differentiate itself from bigger rivals like Samsung Electronics and Apple in the competition of the application of biometrics to smartphones as LG has been falling behind of them in the mainstream fingerprinting scanning technology.” The tech giant has not confirmed the LG G5 specifications thus far.

According to GforGames, the iris scanning technology is already part of the Vivo X5 Pro smartphone. The X5 Pro comes with a metallic build, 2.5D display glass, along with a killer 32 MP primary camera, 3,500 mAh battery unit and a USB type C port. The Vivo handset is powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon 615 SoC. The official teaser of Vivo X5 Pro says: “The eye recognition equipped on the X5 Pro is intelligent and secure. It can recognize the user eye’s unique vein pattern in order to achieve a high level of security.”