A new report says Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 won't come with a highly sought-after new feature because of some big problems it causes to the handset's functionality.
The Korean conglomerate had hoped to be able to bundle a fingerprint reader into the Galaxy Note 8's screen, making it the first major handset to offer a virtual sensor. However, after evaluating the technology, Samsung discovered that it would cause the display to act strangely and deliver uneven screen brightness, a report from SamMobile says.
According to the report, Samsung was able to get the fingerprint reader baked into the screen and working. However, when it was fired up, it would cause the area around the sensor to be brighter than other parts of the display.
Rumors have been flying for months that say Samsung had been hoping to bring an in-screen fingerprint reader to the Galaxy Note 8. However, a Samsung executive told Korean press outlets recently that the fingerprint reader suffered from both technical and security problems that wouldn't make it the right candidate for the upcoming Note 8.
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Since then, an increasing number of Galaxy Note 8 renderings and image leaks have shown a device featuring a traditional fingerprint sensor on the back.
An in-screen fingerprint sensor has proven one of the more challenging, yet appealing, component choices for any high-end handset. Customers have been anxiously anticipating the feature and companies have been working on it. However, due to technical limitations, the technology hasn't found its way to devices.
Apple is also rumored to be working on the feature for its iPhone 8. However, some reports have said that Apple, too, is having trouble getting it to work and might ultimately opt for a rear fingerprint sensor on the device.
