Back in 2018, Qualcomm unveiled the world's first 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor (first-gen). The in-display fingerprint sensor solution used ultrasonic waves for biometric authentication, making it more secure and accurate than optical sensors that use light. As a result, many flagship smartphones, like the Samsung Galaxy S10 series, Galaxy Note 10 series, Galaxy S20 lineup, and the Samsung Note 20 series, used the 3D Sonic Sensor for biometric security. Qualcomm today announced its second-generation ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which it is calling 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2.
Qualcomm's new 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2 comes in two new sizes, which are 50% and 77% larger compared to the first-generation sensors. Thanks to the larger surface area, the new second-gen sensor captures 1.7x more biometric data, making it more secure than its predecessor. Due to the larger surface area and faster processing speeds, the 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2 will provide a significantly better experience in upcoming devices. While Qualcomm hasn’t confirmed exactly which phone will have the new 3D Sonic Sensor Gen 2, the company has revealed that devices featuring the sensor will hit the market early this year. Since Samsung used Qualcomm’s 3D Sonic Sensor on its smartphones in the past, the company may include this second-gen fingerprint sensor on its upcoming Galaxy S21 series.