Xiaomi 15 Pro, Ultra to get an ultrasonic fingerprint reader: report

HIGHLIGHTS

• Xiaomi 15 Pro and Xiaomi 15 Ultra could sport an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner.
• This could be a more secure fingerprint solution than optical fingerprint readers. Let’s find out how.
• We have also mentioned the other expected Xiaomi 15 Pro specifications.

Xiaomi 15 Pro and Xiaomi 15 Ultra are said to sport an ultrasonic fingerprint reader, a feature that was primarily found on several Samsung Galaxy flagship phones and recently on the OPPO Find X7 Ultra and iQOO 12 Pro. Compared to traditional optical fingerprint scanners, an ultrasonic solution is considered more secure. We will learn how and also see if the standard Xiaomi 15 is also expected to get the upgrade.

Xiaomi 15 series and the ultrasonic fingerprint reader rumours

As per tipster Smart Pikachu on Weibo, the Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra are confirmed to get the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. The regular Xiaomi 15 is still in consideration. Perhaps that would be one point of differentiation between the vanilla and premium Xiaomi 15 models.Ultrasonic is a premium feature that’s so far found on select phones only. However as the tipster remarks, with Xiaomi and more brands adopting it, the feature will be popularized and eventually democratized. In other words, lower-tiered phones will also stand to benefit from it someday.

But why does it matter?

Ultrasonic vs optical fingerprint scanners

• Ultrasonic fingerprint readers use soundto authenticate a person’s fingerprint. It throws high-frequency sound waves at the finger and the sound wave bounces back with a detailed 3D render of the fingerprint. On the other hand, optical scanners use light waves to create a 2D map.
• However, the sound or sonic echos are more reliable at bringing a better representation of the fingerprint compared to light or optical reflections, especially if the fingers are moist or wet. This is because they can oversee surface imperfections or interferenceson your finger.
• Moreover, since the ultrasonic sensors can detect blood flow and heart pulses, they can’t be spoofed easilywith an image or dummy. Due to this capability, they can be used to monitor heart rate, BMI, and blood sugar levels too. The phone maker can save on additional components if it ever decides to use this feature.
• The phone maker doesn’t have to worry about screen burn-inseither unlike an optical sensor.

So, it seems like the Xiaomi 15 Pro and Ultra models will have a more secure and cost-efficient biometric solution. But, that’s not the only upgrade we are expecting.

Xiaomi 15 Pro specifications (expected)

• Display:If rumours are to be believed, the Xiaomi 15 Pro will sport a 2K AMOLED screen with 0.6mm bezels that are 0.3mm thinner compared to its predecessor. The vanilla variant, meanwhile, could bring a flat 6.36-inch OLED with 1.5K resolution, 1,400 nits brightness, and 120Hz adaptive refresh rate support.
• Processor: Both phones could ship with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC.