Here's why I'm OK with the Galaxy S8's rear fingerprint sensor

The Galaxy S8 has been pretty unanimously well received by staunch loyalists and critics alike; it appears that Samsung did most everything right this time around, both in making its flagship feel like a sizeable upgrade and a natural evolution.

This is the fingerprint sensor swipe of the Gods.

But some shade has been thrown at Samsung over the placement of the fingerprint sensor: because the Infinity Display necessitated the removal of the physical home button from the Galaxy S8, the company had no choice but to put the sensor on the back. This isn't a unique placement — companies from Huawei to LG have made the phone's back a familiar sight for fingerprint sensors — but none are as close to the camera lens as the Galaxy S8's.

After using the phone briefly, there is no reason to panic: I quickly grew used to the new arrangement, and consistently hit the sensor with either my left or right index finger without smudging the lens. But that's not why I'm OK with the placement.

Perhaps anticipating some of the ire, Samsung got out ahead of the criticism by adding of the most useful features of a rear fingerprint sensor: a swipe gesture to pull down, and retract, the notification shade.

It's a setting hidden away in a few menus, and it's turned off by default, but it's there, and that's all that matters. It's also completely changed the way I use the phone, since I now know to position my right index finger in such a way as to be ready to unlock the phone and swipe down on the sensor in one fell swoop. The sensor is also able to unlock the phone without turning on the screen, something that previous Galaxy devices were missing.

Daniel Bader was a former Android Central Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor for iMore and Windows Central.

236 Comments

Awww... All is forgiven. How nice of him. Lol.
Anything for Samsung.
Surely. If it was HTC or anyone else that had fine this, they'd be bashing it. Just like they did with the U ultra battery. Shitdung does it and it's ok. Jerry is the only reason I even come to this site anymore. The rest of these fools are biased.
It's pretty easy to bash HTC when they release a log like the U Ultra. The U Ultra won't compare to the S8 when it hits the market. They aren't even in the same league, and that's HTC's own fault. HTC could have knocked it out of the park this go round, instead they chose to remove features and increase the size of their phone.
Ok, "legal american". That's subjective af. In my opinion, they finally released a phenomenal looking, large screen phone with added features that are sure to get better with time and updates. Shitdung in the other hand is a corrupt corporation that buys people to sell their product. Every carrier in the us and AC included. I couldn't care less about this piece of garbage that couldn't catch a bad word from these biased fools if it was a **** with a screen. Which, in my opinion, this comes straight from the toilets mouth. Good day, "legal american"(whatever the eff that means)
Ok, "NEXUS_HTC_PS" whatever the eff that means, if your hatred for Samsung makes you defend the HTC U Ultra of all things, that tells everyone on this board all they need to know. Clearly HTC can release a massive bowel movement and as long as they sprinkle it with glitter and shine it up, you'll think it's phenomenal looking and give them your money.
Listen here "legal american"(seriously what the hell is a "legal" american, do you study law in america), if I spend my money on a ****. That's up to me. You wanna spend you money on an overpriced price of trash, fine. Who am I to stop you. My point was, which I'm sure went right over that lawful head of yours, was that if Shitdung does it, it's ok on this site. Anyone else gets a red flag. Didn't they teach you to read and discern what people were trying to get across in law school? Or did you only get the part where you twist peoples words around?
I think the irony of your comments is lost on you. You're doing for HTC exactly what you're accusing the writers on this site of doing with Samsung. But you enjoy that HTC U Ultra. Keep those fingers crossed and maybe someday HTC will release a decent device for you to enjoy. Until then, keep reading that dictionary. You'll get to the L's soon and then you'll learn the meaning of the word "legal".
Hahahaa... Ok, you are purposely ignoring my point why? Oh, that's right, because it doesn't benefit.what you're trying to get across from a sheep standpoint. I get it now. You're one of *those* guys... Oh boy... You had me going, I thought you were "educated". I know what legal means, I just think that when people say "legal" or "illegal" to point out the legitimatacy of where they "belong to", it makes them sound very.....Unhumanlike. kind of like they should be an alien from a different planet.
LMAO!!!!! legal american has nothing to do with being a lawyer bud....watching you two argue that was hilarious....ever heard of an immigrant.....
We're all immigrants. Yes we've heard of them.
Isn't your post your opinion as well?
HTC still makes phones? Cool! How quaint!
The complaints would've never been there from the start if it wasn't Samsung. LG, HTC, Motorola, OnePlus phones are all riddled with obviously questionable design choices/cut corners but it's all A-OK with tech blog commenters. Samsung moves a fingerprint sensor purely out of necessity (Synaptics in-screen reader wasn't finished yet) and there are endless whiny rants in comment sections.
This was a satirical piece, right? LMAO!
Yeah, I'm not buying it because of the terrible fingerprint sensor location. My LG G6 will be here in a few hours. The G6 has a better fingerprint sensor placement.
I'm probably going with facial recognition instead of fingerprint either way. The demonstrations seem really convincing
I wouldn't if i were you. http://www.redmondpie.com/galaxy-s8-facial-unlocking-feature-can-be-bypa...
This isn't anything new unfortunately, previous phones that had the ability to unlock with facial recognition have had this same bypass.
That doesn't matter, the iris scanner is where it's at :)
Yeh, first of all, someone will have to get a close-up portrait of my face. Then they have to follow me around until I mistakenly leave my phone unattended (WHICH WILL NEVER HAPPEN). I don't expect or need facial recognition to provide Pentagon-like security. I just need it to keep out the looky-loos who might want to quickly peak into my phone when my back is turned. And if I do happen to lose it by leaving it at a coffee shop or have it stolen right out from under my nose, I'm quite sure the thieves won't know who I am and definitely won't have my photo on standby just to access my phone. Anyone who goes to those great lengths to bypass facial recognition would probably also go to great lengths to get my fingerprint and transfer it to a latex finger thereby nullifying any security my fingerprint sensor would provide. So kindly withdraw your "I wouldn't if I were you" crap.
+1
Yeah, the facial recognition system on the S8s can be bypassed with a photo of the person who secured the device. No thanks.
why are you even commenting on this. you already proclaimed your love for the fake rounded corners of the LG G6.
I'm actually using an app to round off the corners on my ZTE Max pro, and it looks way cool......I like the rounded corners on the g6.
I'm about to leave a Lumia 950 to move to Android. Iris scanners (important distinction from facial recognition) kind of suck, actually. I only used it because I didn't have a print scanner, and after a couple months turned it off. While it does work, it's slower and more finicky than a fingerprint sensor by far. It was generally faster to mash in the PIN. Only advantage to the iris scanner was when wearing gloves in cold weather. In short, neat idea but gimmicky for a smartphone. I can't wait to have a finger scanner instead.
And the s8 is the better phone....see how that works
The only thing the S8 has better is the screen technology and the chipset. Otherwise the G6 is the better phone.
The processor and the screen are very critical parts of a smartphone so that would make the S8 better overall. The camera is most likely better on the S8 as well (basing that on the S7 and Note 7 camera) except it doesn't have dual like the G6. The S8 Plus also has a larger battery than the G6.
And the S8 Plus has a half inch bigger screen than the G6 with only a bump in 200 mAh in battery.
...and a newer chipset that is supposed to be more efficient and therefore should prolong battery life. :D (Note: as always, we'll have to see how that plays out in real life situations, of course. Just saying that when the chips are different, you can't just go off battery size)
In what areas is the g6 better?
Better placement of the fingerprint sensor; dual cameras; IPS LCD display (I prefer those over AMOLED); MIL-STD 810G drop protection; flat display (I don't like the curved displays of the Samsung phones). But those things are what's important to me. What's important to you will be different.
Yes, that is a big joke right there. Why do you prefer the less vivid, less bright IPS LCD display? I've never heard anyone ever say "I prefer those over Amoled". LCD eats up more battery, has worse viewing angles, and is harder to see outdoors. Is that what's most important to you? How about last years processor. Is that important to you too?
amoled > lcd any day if you ask me. however, i can understand how some people would prefer lcd to an amoled screen. not everyone cares about the advantages of having an amoled screen; many dislike the more saturated colors and deep blacks of amoled. and for them this is enough reason to like lcd better.
Vivid = plastic and not true to life looking to a lot of people. Especially people that are inundated in accurate color,. Colorists, marketing people, photographers, ux designers etc. Inaccurate simply equals bad and saying it's better is conjecture. Also I've owned amoled and LCD, viewing angles are the same within such a small percentile that it's not even a selling point. The only valid thing you brought to the table was trying batter life, and even that's less than a few percentiles difference.
ha ha ha ha. The only thing that the S8 has that's better than the G6 is all the most important stuff. But if you ignore all of that, the G6 is better.
+1
Hey, it's Djcbs, should have known I'd run into you here, sup?
It takes a startling amount of willful ignorance to make that objectively false statement.
Opinion, some features are more important to people than others. I'd rather have a 6 month old SOC w a proper FP scanner location BC I unlock my phone 100x a day, and I only run a benchmark test once...
Who said anyone is going to need to use the fingerprint sensor on the S8? I'm definitely going to opt for the facial recognition to quickly unlock my phone. I won't have to worry about how I pick it up. The moment I look at it it's unlocked. How do you unlock the G6 when it's sitting on a wireless charger? That's right, you have to pick it up and put your finger on the back of the phone. I'll just look at my S8 to unlock it without having to pick it up. So you go ahead and keep picking up your phone 100xs a day and then putting your finger on that little sensor 100x's a day. What a total waste of time. Is that a benefit provided by your 6 month old SOC?
Samsung fans have really turned into isheep
It's called double tap to wake when your phone is on a desk. If you're unfamiliar with this feature and Nova launcher then I simply can't take your Android phone opinion aeriously.
I don't wireless charge, its a gimmick IMO. Let me know how much you love getting your phone unlocked and your information taken by your crazy Ex with a printed out selfie...
👍👍👍👍👍
I got lg v10...
Great phone..been with
Lg since the g4
Some people always look for something to complain about
Agreed. Read the replies to my opinion.
Exactly. Samsung haters have been put through the ringer lately, so go easy on them. First they hated Samsung because the plastic phones. So Samsung came out with metal and then glass devices that look great. So then they switched all of their ire to Touchwiz. So Samsung cleaned that up and now it's on par with any other "skinned" version of Android. So now all they have left is the fingerprint scanner location. It's kind of fun to watch actually. The guy higher up on this board was legitimately upset that the editors of the site like this better than the U Ultra of all things.
LoL whay? Samsung fans have been the ones put through the ringer. Did you forget the Galaxy Note 7? Then the S7 Edge not aging gracefully oyher than it's camera. It lost in speed tests to all the flagship competitors that came out after it and its RAM management and software get worse with age. Cmon man....
Not buying it because of the fingerprint sensor location... Perfect logic. I'm not buying one of the best laptops available (if not the best) because of the USB port location.
His money, his choice. I personally don't understand why others care what other people choose to spend their money on.
If the laptop has the USB port in a stupid place - at the bottom for example - then it's a perfectly valid reason not to buy it. The fingerprint scanner on the S8 is placed in the equivalent place of adding a USB port in the bottom of a laptop.
That's completely illogical.
I don't think illogical means what you think it does, or else you'd see the irony of your statement. Comparing fingerprint location on a phone to USB port location on a laptop is a totally non sequitur. The fingerprint scanner is key to ergonomics and how you physically handle the device every single time you use it. Because it's a phone. Those are hand held. USB port on a laptop has nothing to do with how it's handled, ergonomics, or general use. Because it's a laptop. You don't hold those in your hand to use them. I have no idea how it's hard to understand this.
A USB port on the bottom of a laptop? If you've seen that ever before that company should not be designing laptops!
I can buy whatever I want for whatever reason I want. If you don't like that, too bad.
You're right. Pizza is circular yet we put it in square boxes and then cut it into triangles. Not everything in life makes sense.
You're missing the point entirely. Nobody gives a **** what you want to buy. But we will reply with our comments when you begin to state your opinions about what you like and what you don't like. If you can't handle that then kindly stfu.
I didn't say what I wanted to buy. Or are you suggesting you are psychic? You appear to be very emotional in your writing. You may want to consider anger management since we're only discussing a material item.
Not even close to the same argument.
Pretty sure thats as bad a comparison as can possibly be made. A better one would be bc of the touchpad location. People unlock their phone hudreds of times every day. If you're using your usb port hundreds of times a day, maybe you have a problem and/or should use cloud-based storage.
You're not fooling anyone. You order your g6 before the s8 was even a thing lol. That tired line though!😥
I ordered the G6 last night. Thanks for playing.
I did too. Waited for the official announcement but when all the leaks proved true I ordered the G6 for practically all the reasons you did. Having come from the S7 Edge and Note 7 I by no means was anti-Samsung but I've decided to try something else now.
Stupid location, no matter what features it can do. Most people will still smudge up the lens before hitting the sensor.
Wash your hands
The camera sensor is only in the center of the camera module, not the whole thing so you're not really gonna smudge the lens unless you are completely missing the scanner. Also it's in the same spot that the heart rate sensor was on the note 5, s6, s7 so if you have used those phones previously pretty sure your not gonna smudge the camera.
Agreed!!
True statement.
Why not use smart lock? I never understood the complaints about the fingerprint position.
Smart lock is your friend use it it works
Smartlock's location unlock is great if you live on an acre of land, but it isn't precise enough, especially if you live in an apartment building. Good for the car though.
There are so many choices on devices. I don't even use the fingerprint lock on my S7. I use a Pin or pattern unlock. And, truthfully, typing in the pin bugs me at time after a timeout! :)
Some of us want our devices secured at all times. I don't want my phone unlocked while I'm at work or at home. The smart lock argument is weak and specious.
Nope must will get use to the faster face detector and keep it moving recurswimmer
Regardless of the location, still a great built phone
Time will tell if it's truly great or not! Hopefully mine arrives earlier than expected!
Wipe the lens with your shirt. Problem solved. How greasy and dirty are people's finger tips?! I'd suggest not unlocking your phone with the back sensor if you just took a dump but ran out toilet paper, ride the back of a garbage trucks collecting trash and don't wear gloves or if you just murdered someone using a spoon.
Most people won't be using the fingerprint sensor. Most of the time it will be the facial recognition that will be used to unlock the phone. It's that simple.
Muscle memory will always work , doesn't matter if a sensor is below or next to a camera. I've sometimes used the heartrate sensor on older Samsung phones as a shutter button which was also next to the camera and I didn'T had a problem. Beside that it's much likely that Samsung has the stuff for Samsung Pay (NFC + MST) where some other phones have their fingerprint sensor so that position wasn't an option anyway. Losing the MST capability of Samsung Pay would be worse.
That could be a legit reason.I didn't consider the MST sensors to be the reason why the fingerprint was placed in that area.
There is very little wrong with having it on the back of the phone, but it does seem like they have picked about the worst possible position for it as it is high up on a tall phone and right next to the camera lens, lower down the back near where they have the samsung logo would have been a far better option. The more cynical might think they have deliberately chosen to place it where they have in order to encourage people to use their iris scanning stuff instead.
I think that's exactly what they did, and I don't think it makes me cynical. It's the same reason Apple made the home button not a button: people can adapt to change, but not all at once. Wouldn't be surprised to see both companies drop the sensor/button entirely in the next iteration, and this is the step in that direction that will keep people from freaking out.
Then people will complain about that location, can't please everybody
They used it because it's the same place they had the heartrate sensor before, but it's still a bad design. People are going to use a fingerprint sensor a lot more than they ever did the heartrate sensor.
The whiners are likely the same ones unable to learn to put the Galaxy Note 5 S pen in correctly.
Yep
The S pen issue was caused by a design flaw that allowed the pen to be put in backwards (something that should've been picked up by Samsung QA).
Lots of things fit in places they shouldn't go. At some point, a user is responsible for being dumb.
But it's not a case of another object fitting into the S pen slot. It's a case of the S pen being allowed to be inserted the wrong way with little to no safeguards. If it's meant to only go in one way, the design of the phone/pen should reflect that.
If people can't tell which direction the pen is facing, it must be hell trying to write on the screen with the S pen and always having it backwards there too. I suppose that's also Samsung's fault.
Samsung should not have to assume that people are going to be completely stupid and put the pen in with the tip end last. Common sense says you insert the tip first.
Or just have high standards and had high expectations based on proven fingerprint design in other flagships...
lol
It might not be an issue in the S8 once you get used to it. But in the larger S8+, I think you'll have some issues.
Big loser Samsung tries to redeem itself with s8, but bad fingerprint senor placement! Sad! Fake news!
And yet they'll still sell millions win win mines on the way ^^
Lol. Right. So many complaints yet people go out and buy the phone in droves. Oh well, there will always be haters and people who feel better with themselves by complaining.
They will sell millions regardless of design BC the masses pick iPhone or Galaxy just based on iOS and Android.
I find it it incredible that people buy anything with knowing about it. I would say 95% of Samsung users think that it's Android and all Android phones are the same. Then wonder why people buy anything else or that anything else even exists.
I'm interested in the tear downs of this device. Either they put it there to force people to use the iris scanner/facial recognition, or they legitimately did not have room for it lower on the phone.
🤔
Or it could be for cosmetic reasons the button will look funny in the middle of the phone below the camera
It doesn't look funny on the LG V20, Pixel, LG G6, etc
Likely a last minute decision.
I read a theory (forgot the link, sorry) that they placed it there because they couldn't get it working under the screen, so they removed the dual camera & put the scanner there.
Can't wait.. s8+ arriving apr 28
Can't wait for that note8 to come out in August
Useful feature for a fingerprint reader, yes. Been enjoying it on my Pixel, however bad placement is as bad placement does. Sure users will get used to it, but it's not smart design. However, users with cases will have less problems as the cutout will be a guide. The fact that this is the main complaint speaks volumes for what they've done. Nobody should complain as they've dumped the physical buttons and allowed users to put the buttons in their proper order. However, it should be pointed out.
This was my thought. So many people use cases, it's going to be easy to quickly get the muscle memory to find the edge of the cutout for the sensor and slide their finger in the correct location.
I didn't think of that until you mentioned it. A case will make all these complaints go away and this phone will be a huge hit.
Don't sleep on the unlocking with the screen off point, that's super welcomed lol. Can't wait
You're ok with it because Samsung pays AC. That also explains de 100 articles about their phone while other releases got good coverage but never this much.
AC must be rolling in the dough. First Google was paying them because of the amount of Pixel coverage, now Samsung. Good times to be working at Mobile Nations. Love these comments.
I have no clue about Pixel. I personally didn't mention it either. I thought their Pixel coverage was fine. But everything Samsung is always enormous on this website. When LG announced the G6, we got some good coverage, but they didn't make individual articles to compare it to all the current phones and they didn't to an audiocast and articles to defend the shortcomings and so on... It's one of two things. 1. Samsung bought sponsorship OR 2. They are full well that putting 100 samsung articles on the front page gets you clicks and visits. One way of the other, Samsung got more coverage for money. See how that works out?
Just like when a new iPhone comes out. They are popular brands love em or hate em
I hope they are doing it for clicks. Maybe you would like to pay a monthly subscription.
Dude I am sure AC has an exact count on how many clicks Samsung articles get. Which I'm sure it's way more than any other OEM. (ironically you're helping) lol So why cover more of what's really no demand for? Just to make you happy? Lol c'mon Of course on days when Samsung just released a phone they're gonna take advantage of it. They gotta make money. What's wrong with that?
Does that make you angry?
Maybe it's because Samsung is the biggest Android phone manufacturer, this is the first release since the Note 7 disaster (and their CEO being arrested), and potentially there's a lot of different topics to discuss (features, availability, comparisons to other phones)? If you have evidence that Android Central/Mobile Nations is getting paid to write articles favorable towards Samsung (or Google, or anyone else) please post a link to it.
We get people saying that every time Samsung releases a major phone. No one has ever had any 'evidence' to support their claims.
Don't forget that Nintendo money they're raking in from Pokémon Go and the Switch console. And of course, Mobile Nations also own iMore, Windows Central and Crackberry. So they're rolling in Apple, Microsoft and Blackberry money too.
I don't know about you, but I like raking in the money.
Because Samsung is the Michael Jordan of the phone business
Good analogy!
Unless you have evidence it might be wise to think before you speak.
You can't be serious now. They do this all the time on every big product launch.
I don't understand that logic. The S8s will be the biggest release of the year. Of course they're going to cover it more over other, less popular phones. I own the LG G6 and iPhone 7 Plus, btw.
Getting used to it is not the same as the placement being good. I've adjusted to poor design before. 🙂 Synaptics couldn't get the under glass sensor done in time. That caused the less than ideal placement. I'm sure they wanted it to be on the screen where the Home button is. It's pressure sensitive and has special haptic feedback.
Bad placement is bad placement but I do like that they've put the fingerprint sensor on the rear instead of on the front.
This time next year people will realize that the placement is no big deal
Disagree, this time next year Samsung will have fixed the issue that prevented it from going where the wanted it, and the S8 owners will remember the general discontent showed towards it,
This. Bear in mind that this is Samsung's first phone in the extra tall form factor so there's bound to be a few quirks while the design team gets used to the form factor and how the various internals fit together.
This time next year it will be built into the screen and no separate sensor will be required.
Exactly. This time next year people will complain they moved it from where it is on the S8 to under the front screen. Some people will complain about any and all changes. You can't please everyone.
This is not a new or unique feature. Huawei and Honor phones have have supported these gestures for a year (I first saw it on the Honor 5x), and Huawei has no trouble putting the fingerprint sensor in a logical location. So how is poorly implementing a feature that other phones do right somehow a credit to Samsung?
That's not what he said
Huh? What he said was "this is not an ideal placement for the fingerprint sensor, but I'm okay with it because of a novel feature." But the feature isn't novel; it's been done before, and better. I mean, what these useful gestures prove is that Samsung was stupid to put this more-useful-than-ever button in such a hard-to-reach place.
He didn't say Samsung invented this feature, only that for HIM, it makes up for the faulty placement.
Okay, but this is dumb, fanboy logic. "This new fingerprint sensor from Samsung is crap, but did you know that crap actually has some nutrients? Nobody ever starved from eating too much crap, at least. From now on, I won't complain about Samsung feeding me crap." It's just embarrassing. A better article would have mentioned that this is a feature that has been done right on many other phones before, criticized Samsung's implementation (i.e. button placement) because it IS terrible, but arrived at the conclusion that it's not bad enough completely dismiss the phone, which is otherwise about as good as it gets.
Don't disagree, but it is what it is. Either adjust, or buy another device. We've become a nation of whiners. Not you personally, but others in this thread Its a terrible placement, but if you choose to buy one, you'll learn to deal with it, just any other phone's miscalculation. He's mentioning one possible silver lining.
"both in making its flagship feel like a sizeable upgrade and a natural evolution".
A lot of people don't think it is a sizeable upgrade - consumers and critics alike.
We have reached a stage where phones aren't doing much new apart from adding a new processor, of course the DEX thing is new but still a Samsung version of Contiuum on Windows so hardly groundbreaking.
You've talked to a bunch of consumers?
Hell no just making **** up as he goes haha
Then if tech has staggered and it's bothering you, then go ahead and do some research and design and come up with a phone that you like.
Haha right ^^
I think you mean stagnated, instead of 'staggered'. :)
I think you're right. Although staggered may work for some companies.
Sorry I just cannot justify where Samsung decided to place the fingerprint scanner, just can't, even with these fair opinions. I set my phone on my desk (S7) most of the day and easily wake it up and unlock it very conveniently with the home button. Or when I use Samsung pay (which I do very often) its also very convenient the way is set up. I mean they should of at least placed it somewhere in the middle if it was a must to put it on the back, kinda like the Pixel. Hmm or maybe they just didn't have the engineering to do so? Idk. It all seems very strange to me. I doubt anyone said 'oh it will go perfect here right next to the camera lol
It wreaks of last minute or forced design.
We don't need no stinking finger print scanner Iris is fast and the face scanner is even faster . No issue here . Now all I need is my phone to show up
Face scanner is less secure, no idea about iris.
Home button and 4 digit code is also an option
But it would still be better if it did those things AND was located under the camera, right? Like every other phone with a rear fingerprint sensor.
That's nice. Is there a setting for replacing the software nav buttons as well?
Like swipe right on fingerprint sensor for back, hold for active apps and double tap for Home.
And what about hiding the software buttons permanently?
My tab S uses the physical button scanner and my phone is the 6P with the rear scanner. I absolutely hate the Samsung scanner placement. Requires both hands.
Then don't use it the face detector is faster then the finger scanner ....are dont worry about it get a pixel . See way complain about something your not buying . I know cause it's the popular thing to do here on AC
Its also a less secure method.
I have a Samsung with a front fp scanner as well as a Nexus 6p with the rear fp scanner. Much prefer the placement in back, as it is better for one-hand usage when I pick up the phone. When the phone is lying flat, I use a different unlock method. Easy. As for the placement on the S8, since I haven't actually used an S8 yet, I really don't know how I will like it. I'll have to try it out before I really determine that. The best I can do right now is guess how well it will or won't work out for me.
That fingerprint censor placement is terrible no matter what you say, it's a turn off for me!
That's a good thing because no one is forcing anyone to use it. Just pick a different phone. Don't you just love choices.
Exactly I here the same complaints ever year a Samsung comes out its damn if they do damn if they don't. In the end the general public will speck either there wallets .
This is true of EVERY phone by EVERY manufacturer. People come here to nitpick. It is not just Samsung. You seem to be taking it personally and feel the need to reply to every complaint. It has to be tiring.
And by the same token your complaining about something you don't intend to buy that makes even less since ...duh
Find one complaint about this phone by me.....There are none. Show one place that I wrote that I do not intend to buy this phone (I buy all devices in order to learn to refurbish them)...Oops, again there are none. I never mind when someone points out something in one of posts IF it is true. (Sense not since).
Stop preaching choice. We get it, we all have phones and don't have to get this one. Unfortunately people with expectations got let down and we are discussing that reason.
People with expectations are also opinions. I'm just saying what I said because people get caught up on a feature and go all out complaining about it and in a few weeks people are like "wow" I really like it now. I'm just stating an opinion, if you feel it's preaching then by all means keep thinking that. Life's too short to go on a rant over a button placement.
Let down ??? You knew what ,months ago where the finger scanner was gonna be . Plenty of time to order the LG....hehe
Dfm725 ^^^^
Renders are not leaks, leaks are not set in stone and trustworthy leaks were only a week or 2 ago.
There is no celebrating Samsung's poor decision to dump the sensor next to the camera. The Bixby button's location would have been a better choice if under the camera was a no-go.
Isn't that patented by another company? It's a legit question btw.
There will always be complaints. Many of those complaints are people who are never satisfied and some just complain because they don't know how to handle bad things in there life so they want to try to ruin things for everyone else to make themselves feel better. Oh well. The great thing about android are choices, don't like a certain phone, pick another or wait till a new one comes out.
Dude it is an absolutely ridiculous design, I can't think of a worse location to put it.
No one is stopping anyone from expressing their opinion. I myself don't like it there either. But I didn't like the buttons on the back of the g3 either and I ended up loving them. I'm just saying, no need to go up in arms about this. It's just a feature on a phone that will most likely change in the next version.
Agreed! I think they should go vertical with next version. Flash on top of camera module and fingerprint sensor on bottom of camera module. That would be nice!
This article is a joke, right? It must be. I mean, I haven't seen a single decent article by this author who desperately attempts to be half as decent as Phil was, but this one, Jesus... "Samsung got out ahead of the criticism by adding of the most useful features of a rear fingerprint sensor: a swipe gesture to pull down, and retract, the notification shade." Someone failed to realise that's NOT the problem with the fingerprint scanner. That addition might minimise the criticism regarding the size of the screen NOT the placement of the scanner. The placement of the scanner IS idiotic - and I bet you Samsung will not repeat it with the S9 - because it's unreachable in normal use. It's too high and in the WRONG place for most people in the world - right handed people. It will lead to constant smudging of the camera lens and quicker degradation of glass due to it being constantly cleaned.
Rumor has it that the next Note may have it on the display.
I expect that all the things people are complaining about now (even though they've never held one) will be "fixed" with the new Note. They did it last year with the curve of the screen from the S7 Edge to the Note 7.
If Facial Recognition works reliably as a Logon Security measure... F* the wrist-twisting... camera-smearing Finger Scanner in the back. I'll just use that instead.
That's exactly what I intend to do just like my note 7 almost never used the finger scanner didn't need to. From what I've seen the face detector is Hella fast
People that have used a rear finger print scanner like LG or the Pixel aregiving the S8 crap for not being in the center under the camera (where it is symmetrical and better located for left and right hand usage. That is what is important to take away, this was a very bad design decision and I cannot picture myself ever getting this phone BC of it.
And that you don't, see that's why you have to love android just pick a phone that works for you me and the millions that'll buy this phone in the coming weeks will just use the other unlocking features and keep it moving. Change is good some will like it some won't that's the facts of life ..don't complain just don't buy it it'd not a requirement
So you have never complained or shared a negative opinion about a device on this site?
Huh let me think na I mostly stick to Sammy post unless there's a link are comparison of some sort . I don't like certain phones but I don't rant on there post
Facial recognition is less secure, and some ppl get disappointed when their expectations for a product do not meet whatis released.
People that bought the pixel are LG are not buying this phone. Different stroke for different folks
Thats not true and is a truly assanine statement.
Sure it's mostly true being that the pixel and the new LG g5 are v20 it's a year old
So most likely they won't be in the market same as the s7 s7edge folks . Expecially the pixel Nexus people they don't do Samsung but they do like to troll on every Sammy post ....go figure
Many phone enthusaists swap phones regularly, eapecially those with T-Mobile Jump and Jump On Demand. Most enthusiasts are loyal to Android but are always interested in the best and brightest Android has to offer. I myself have owned LG, HTC and Motorola devices all within the past 3 years. Whoever makes a compelling argument for the best phone, I will listen.
Because I haven't seen or touched the S8 irl yet, I'm not sure how I feel about this. I have the S7 edge right now and I looove the fingerscanner on my home button. Much better than the 5 (ofcourse). I really got attached to it. I hope they find a way to replace it again where the home button is but underneath the screen? I don't know... And I am thrilled about the irisscanner! Can't wait to see that!
Trust me I had the note 7 the Iris scanner is super fast ,but from what if seen the face detector is even faster . Change is good
I don't want to know it before I try it, but all things point to me smudging the lens. I am left-handed and there seems to be a higher chance that I would do that. I'll take a look at it in stores and see how bad it is. Nice looking phone, but if I had to compare the LG G6 with this phone, the LG G6 seems to be the best choice if I were to switch.
Let's everyone calm down and take a few things into consideration. Earlier reports were that Samsung wanted to put the fingerprint reader under the screen but the technology wasn't ready for prime time. If the original phone design included that, it means that Samsung had to add it in after the fact. Samsung is all about symmetry and being a designer mself, I appreciate that. In order to put the fingerprint sensor under the camera and keep the symmetry, they're have move the flash. That means redesigning the inside of the phone and would have pushed launch back further. I'm guessing they put it in the spot that keeps with their design language and needed minimal redesign. It's not that Samsung made a bad decision to make everyone's life miserable. They most likely made the best business decision available. Let's also not forget that no one is required to buy one and if you don't like it, there are a lot of good phones out there to purchase.
That's what I thought. The decision may have been made very late in the device's development and relocating the sensor underneath would have required more time redesigning the device. It's harder than I'm making it sound It doesn't make it any less idiotic a placement, but I'm pretty sure Samsung wants that display sensor ready soon.
Unfortunately, some decisions are made for us. I'm sure it will be ready for the next Note.
It's also been mentioned that the center-back location may be where the sensors are for samsung pay, so again as you say a complete redesign would have been needed to move those components.
Exactly. There's so much packed into these things that the smallest change can really impact things. Just look at how small of a defect has in the Note 7 batteries. It was microns small but could set the phones on fire. I don't blame them for the "safe" compromise.
First off, I don't know why you think Samsung is all about symmetry. While we all love to make fun of the article's, Renee over iMore has anally delved into Samsung's inability to keep things symmetrical. More importantly, the amount of Samsung phones in my house have led me to believe that Samsung doesn't care as much about symmetry any more than other manufacturers do. The "last minute change" holds absolutely no water. The scope of changes that would have been required to component location, motherboard layout, chassis, battery shape and size, etc., as well as all of the tooling changes required would have led to a product delay. I'm sure that the onscreen fingerprint scanning tech not being fully ready changed design elements they would have liked to implement. I think they knew it early on in the process.
Totally agree, this design has been in the pipeline for at least a year. Or I have no idea what I'm talking about. Has happened before.
Still doesn't help my use case. My phone sits upright in a wireless charger or flat on my desk 80% of the day. I rarely pick it up or move it and rely on unlocking with a fingerprint on the front. This is by far the biggest drawback for me.
If the phone is near you or on you most of the time you should consider enabling Smart Lock, so it only locks while it's away from you or at a different location from what you set as trusted on your phone.
That is a good point. I might give that a shot.
Do. I have mine set to my home and my watch. I unlock it once in the morning and it basically stays that way all day.
Have your ever heard of smart lock us it, it works at my office and home I use it . Which is where I spend 90% of my time . Funny how you guys are complaining about something you haven't tried Iris scanner and face detection are super easy to use
The general consensus is most love this phone even CNET and bgr wow !! The finger scanner placement for those that have actually had hands on it , is that while it's not prefect they can live with it cause 90% of the rest of the phone is tops . The general public will buy this phone in spades . Change is a coming embraces it or get the **** out the way..... and I mean that with all sincerity
Obviously the fingerprint placement is a big deal as it's discussed in every review and in every message board. No amount of fanboy denying this will change that fact. It's a serious flaw that has samsung users scrambling to find alternate measures for unlocking. Samsung could have put the fingerprint sensor on the top bezel and you STILL would say it's in the natural spot where you rest your finger. Also, the general public buys the iphone in spades. Remember, it's just a mobile device, not your husband or wife. Or is it?
I still think it is too close. Motorolo's dimple on the N6 would have been a perfect place for a fingerprint reader. And the N6Ps position is really good. I wish Samsung would have moved it lower.
It is a poor location, but it doesn't really matter to me because I don't use it much. I set my phone to unlock when connected to my watch or when at home. I'm sure that may not be secure enough for some people, but it is secure enough for me.
Samsung fanboys love to justify everything Samsung screws up on
What's the "screw up" you're referring to?
And Sammy haters love to hate ....right ????
I really want to know how the heck people are holding their phones cause that location is literally right where my index finger sits when holding my phone, I've always thought below the camera was a bad spot because my finger never naturally rests there.
Agreed 110%. Before the phone was officially announced some people were complaining about the location and I always felt that it's a good spot because my finger rests their anyway, but some didn't seem to understand that. Now that it's been reviewed they still complain. Maybe they have small hands.
i thought it was terrible, but now that I went to Best Buy to physically try one, it seems fine
I always have my phone in a case and given the recess at the back for the camera (& I'd imagine fingerprint sensor too when using a case with it) this swiping won't be that easy to manage. I also tend to unlock the phone when it's on the desk, this placement will still prevent it :(
This has been in Huawei emui for ages. Not to mention the other swipe actions.
You speak as though FPS gestures are new.... Huawei's been doing this for quite some time now, and with a FPS location that isn't a last minute panic design choice.
I'm at best buy right now as I right this playing with my new phone (on the way ) to all the complainer the finger scanner is as natural as holding my phone. And this phone is gorgeous this is true phone sex ......... don't knock it till you try it .
Boy, people sure jumped all over this. I'm encouraged by the article and will be pre-ordering this weekend and leaving my iPhone 6s in a drawer. I think if I can play a B-sharp and C-natural accurately on my violin, then I can probably hit that fingerprint sensor 99.9999% of the time. LOL
Hahaha exactly..Oh and don't be fooled these complainers do this every year when a new Samsung Galaxy drops . It's at best right now come check it out..... you will be amazed
AC is becoming more and more like a sponsored website. The whole article rests on the fact that you are OK with the placement, and you constantly hit it without ever getting a smude on the camera lenses. And it comes with such a deceptive title. /smh
Completely biased garbage. I come here to point that out and to read Jerry's articles. He's the only one worth a dam on this site anymore. Phil left and this became nothing but Shitdung bias.
What I've noticed from my little time with the new S8 at best buy. Is that it only took me 2 minutes for muscle memory to kick in on how to pick the phone up right away I grab the phone from Midpoint. And my pointer finger immediately went right to the sensor took me 2 minutes of playing with it. I see 0 issues can't wait to get mines. Most of you don't realize how narrow this phone is ,which helps in every way
I think we need more *unbiased* opinions around here...
And you just gave yours see we all have one ....opinions that is ^^^ and they'll all differ
Blah, blah, blah... And the next year, when Samsung puts it on the front, integrated under the glass of the screen (where it really wanted) We will see an article whose title will say: "Here's why I'm OK with the Galaxy S9's front screen integrate fingerprint sensor". Pfff!
Tempest in a tea cup.
When connected to my smartwatch, I use smart unlock. Don't have to use the fingerprint to unlock evertime. Only use the fingerprunt to use samsung pay or when I first grab my phone off the charger in the morning.
I'm having a bit of cheese for lunch to go along with all this whine.
Haha I'll bring the more wine ,cause were gonna need a whole lot more ...hehe
Or just pull it down on the screen..
Didn't the Pixel have the notification thing already? My v20 unlocks without the press of a button too.
To each their own, but I don't think they should have even got rid of the physical buttons in the first place.
LMAO! Pathetic excuse making AC. The earnest tone the article attempts to achieve is very, very funny, though. Thanks for the laugh.
Takes a few business days for the check to clear.
Totally understand the need to move the sensor; unfortunately, it means 3-4 additional steps for me to unlock my phone while it's resting on my desk or my car dash. A bummer for sure.

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