Vivo set to launch the world’s first consumer smartphone with in-display fingerprint sensor

Samsung, Apple, Qualcomm and many other companies are racing to implement a fully-fledged in-display fingerprint sensor in consumer devices, but it seems that Chinese company Vivo has gotten there first. Showcased at this year’s CES, Vivo’s X20 Plus UD is now a real product about to hit the market in China, making it the first smartphone with the new technology.

The push into under-screen fingerprint sensors has been on the radar of just about every smartphone manufacturer for the past couple of years, with many example devices shown but none making their way into consumer hands.

Usually, the same can be said for experimental or new technology debuted at CES, as devices often never make their way to release or get held up for an extended period of time. Thanks to its partnership with Synaptics, which managed to crack the technical difficulties of under-screen fingerprint sensors late last year.

The Vivo X20 Plus UD has eliminated the need for almost all bezels, sporting a large 2160 x 1080p, OLED panel with an aspect ratio of 18:9. The rear will include dual cameras while the internals are backed by Qualcomm’s 635 processor.

Aside from its new in-display fingerprint technology, the Vivo X20 Plus UD is a relatively bog standard smartphone as far as internals go, but considering we have yet to receive word on competition releasing its own consumer version of the tech, Vivo has a clear place in the market.

Pricing and availability are currently in the wind, with the company only taking pre-orders for the Vivo X20 Plus UD in China. There is currently no word on an international release, and if there is to be one, it will be quite a way down the line.

KitGuru Says: Whether or not companies such as Samsung or Apple are nearing their own consumer version of the technology, it’s clear that everyone will step up their game. I am more interested in seeing the real-world responsiveness of Vivo’s and Synaptic’s technology as it seems great on paper but might not live up to the hype surrounding it. Are you excited for in-display fingerprint scanners?

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