How far away are we from having smartphones that can read fingerprints?

Question

The technology to read fingerprints has been around for decades, and phones like the iPhone are extremely sensitive to touch. But how much longer will it be before we can set our phones only to work if the owner is using it?

Answer 1

laptops like IBM, HP, Dell already have nano scanners for fingerprints of owner of laptops.

so smartphones as well.

so far it's for goverment, and big companies

it will take 2-3 years or less to get that technologies to general public

Answer 2

Biometrics are a bad idea, you can revoke a password but you can't revoke your finger.



furthermore, being able to read a fingerprint with a touch screen and not a true fingerprint scanner is impossible today or any day soon.



and no, homeland security or any security professional for that matter uses biometrics for Anything secure.

Answer 3

This year i went to gadget show live in UK and there was an IPad app that reads fingerprints.

Answer 4

it wont be that long before WE would be able to use it as well... Homeland Security uses them...i would give it another 5-7 years

Answer 5

Some already do.