Samsung is currently deploying a software update to the Galaxy S10 and S10+ that should improve the performance of the ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor. The South Korean tech giant already promised to consumers last month that it will release software fixes that should improve the accuracy of its fingerprint scanner after multiple users experience errors when using the ultrasonic sensor.
This software package is not the first update that Samsung rolled out to improve the performance of its fingerprint sensors, and this recent upgrade shows Samsung’s continuing efforts to resolve the issue that plagues its flagship devices.
This update has a file size of 6.9 MB, and according to online publication SamMobile, there is no way to trigger the installation of the software upgrade manually. It seems that the update is currently rolling out to devices in Germany and Poland, although some handsets in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are also receiving the software package. Based on that, it seems like the update is hitting Europe at the moment, but we’re sure it will spread elsewhere fast, at least as far as unlocked units are concerned.
Several users on the social media platform Reddit claim that they have installed the software package and that there is a significant improvement in the performance of the fingerprint scanners. One Reddit user states that their fingerprint sensor now works instantly every single time. Before installing the software package, they often had to try multiple times to have their fingerprints recognized. Other Reddit users also share similar observations about the performance of the biometric authentication of the Galaxy S10 and S10+.
It is not unusual for first-generation implementations of technologies to suffer performance issues, especially since the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10+ are the first handsets that ship with this type of sensor. Ultrasonic fingerprint sensors supposedly offer better accuracy and faster detection compared to optical sensors by using ultrasound to detect blood flow and map different parts of the finger.
Several users reported that they had trouble using the in-display fingerprint sensors. For example, the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner often fails when making transactions using financial applications, when the user is in a dry environment, or when the finger itself is injured. Aside from these issues related to recognizing user’s fingerprints, the ultrasonic sensor is also not compatible with most tempered glass screen protectors, which limits the choices of device owners who want to protect the displays of their devices to plastic screen protectors.
Despite the numerous issues that owners of the Galaxy S10 and S10+ face related to the in-display fingerprint sensor, this hardware feature, along with two-way wireless charging and the rear camera setup, helps differentiate the two handsets from its competition, which contributes to better-than-expected sales results in select markets.
Moving forward, owners of the Galaxy S10 and S10+ should expect more updates that could improve the performance of the in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. Furthermore, within the next two years, people should receive newer versions of the Android operating system and security patches from Samsung.