Fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone? No Thanks!

In the last few years, the fingerprint sensor in smartphones has become standard. We could divide the phones into two groups: 1. fingerprint sensor on the back, 2. fingerprint sensor on the front of the phone (there is a small percentage of phones on the side). I never took the phones from the first group into consideration when buying.

For what?

When a sensor, or button, is on the back of the phone, it means picking it up hundreds of times a day just for some simple action.

For example, while I had the LG G4, I had to pick up the phone from the table if I wanted to turn down the volume because those keys were on the back. The phone is on the table, I'm listening to music, I want to shut up and I can't because the keys are under the phone.

The same is the case with the fingerprint sensor: I want to unlock the phone while it's on the table - I can't!

My phone stands on the table next to the keyboard while I work (so all day) and many times during the day I unlock the phone by just pressing the Home key. This is possible because the fingerprint sensor of the Galaxy S7 phone is on the front, ie. on the Home key itself. If I just want to activate the screen, I press the mentioned button and quickly remove my finger. If I also want to unlock it then just leave my finger to register my fingerprint - one touch, end.

With a phone with a sensor on the back, I can't do that because I have to take the phone in my hand, turn on the screen and put my finger on the sensor if I want to unlock it. In addition, positioning large phones in your hand so that the finger comes in place of the sensor can take time, especially if your hands are dirty, slippery, or wet… Many steps just to read one message, or do something shortly. The whole process of unlocking the phone takes longer than reading the message that caused me to unlock it.

Alternative?

Okay, yes, now many will say "Well, you have phones with more biometrics sensors, like face and eye scanners…" - I have but I don't want to use them. Why? Because to work, I have to turn the phone towards me or lean towards it. I have to pick up the phone again, move it, and take additional steps - a waste of time. In addition, they do not work in all situations, e.g. when it's completely dark when I just wake up and don't open my eyes to the end, and the like.

Also, if my phone screen turns off while reading a recipe in the middle of cooking, I can simply turn it on and unlock it again with one finger. When the sensor is on the back, I have to wipe/wash the whole hand just to unlock the phone.

And what if I'm already holding the phone in my hand?

Again, it's more convenient for me to reach the Home button on the bottom with my thumb than with my index finger on the top of the phone. My thumb is already at the bottom of the phone and I use Home often so it's no problem to use the sensor as well. When it's on top I have to stretch my fist or let the phone slide down a bit. I have big fists and this is a problem for me, I can imagine those who have fists of standard size.

Then why do phones have a sensor on the back?

The answer is simple: users want the highest possible screen-to-body ratio, and phone manufacturers did not have the technology to place sensors under the screen.

However, the time is slowly approaching when the fingerprint sensor below the screen will become standard and every phone will have it. All of these mean it that putting a fingerprint sensor behind the phone was only a transitional period until technology developed.

Why did I write this article?

It’s weird but people go to war as soon as I say I wouldn’t take some phone because it has a fingerprint sensor on the back. It was as if I had personally insulted them, and I had said what did not suit me. That's why I wrote this article - that I don't have to explain it to everyone individually. And it can also help someone if they are hesitant between two phones from those two categories.