Fingerprints tapped for payments apps and more, biometrics firms say

By Lulu Chang April 14, 2016

fingerprint biometrics huawei honor 7i sensor — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The humble fingerprint has come a long way since its days in the criminal database. Your most natural form of identification is unlocking smartphones, paying for purchases in Japan, but soon, hopes Sweden’s Fingerprint Cards (FPC), it will be used for much more. From payment to public transportation, FPC is looking into new ways to use biometric smart cards — cards that are activated with naught more than your fingerprint.

Whereas countries like Japan are turning to fingerprints to make purchases, FPC sees an even greater range of uses with biometric smart cards. According to the Swedish company, this new technology could help users access buildings and IT systems, or even grant them keyless entry to cars. Wearables, watches, and other smart bands could be used as a primary form of identification — indeed, FPC believes, the possibilities unlocked by biometrics are just about endless.

The company certainly seems to know what it’s talking about — last year, its share price skyrocketed by a stunning 1,600 percent following a huge uptick in demand for fingerprint sensors. Today, FPC’s market value sits at a comfortable $4.1 billion. The real draw, the firm and other tech advocates say, is the simplicity and security biometrics offer. While traditional credit cards and even the chip and PIN system have proven hackable, it seems that using your fingerprint may prove safer.

“Our ambition for smart cards, and all other segments, is that we shall continue to be number one,” FPC’s Chief Executive Jorgen Lantto told Reuters. And with the numbers it’s putting out, FPC should be able to. The company believes that the addressable market for biometric smart cards will hit 100 million in 2017 and surge to 500 million in 2018.

“We talk to a lot of players, and companies come to us. There is substance behind our numbers,” Lantto added, pointing to conversations his company has had with potential partners over the last several months.

So hold onto your fingerprints, friends. If FPC has its way, they’re about to really come in handy.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…

Computing

How to leave a team on Microsoft Teams

Several Microsoft Teams windows and features opened simultaneously.

Microsoft Teams is a terrific platform for workplace collaboration, but there may come a time when you need to leave a particular team. Whether it’s because a project has been completed, or specific employees are switching roles, or simply joining another team or project, removing yourself from an existing Teams collaboration couldn’t be easier. Plus, we’ve put together this step-by-step explainer for carrying out this task, which covers both desktop and mobile versions of Microsoft Teams.

Branded Content

Why finding quality pros for your business on Upwork is easier than ever

woman using Upwork to find top-tier talent

Finding talent and support can be difficult for a small to medium-sized operation with limited resources compared to some of the biggest brands in the business. Moreover, if you only have a local reach, you may be dealing with a much smaller talent pool and with fewer opportunities. You need a better way to access a wide range of talent, manage and communicate with those professionals, and organize administrative tasks like time tracking, payments, and so on. Most importantly, you need somewhere to find high-quality professionals who will get the work done on time and within budget. Cue , an incredibly valuable tool for small businesses and your ally in the modern digital marketplace.

Not only does it provide access to specialized and top-tier talent, it can help you scale your business by hiring the right professionals without incurring the extended costs of a long-time employee. Even better, Upwork can help you save more time by streamlining recruitment, hiring, and payroll tasks. That's mainly thanks to an intuitive and integrated payment system with "talent-matching features" that help you find or identify precisely the right professionals for your ask. Upwork makes it easier than ever to do just that.

Branded Content

Heard of Google Workspace? Here’s why it’s the ideal toolbox for your business

Woman working collaboratively with Google Workspace

Managing a small business takes extensive organizational skills as you try to work with what you have available, which may be constrictive and limited, especially compared to some of your bigger, more notable competition. You couldn't ever hope to keep up with big business, right? That may have been the case at one time, but the market is now rich with tools and solutions that can help you compete on the big stage.

Enter stage left, Google Workspace, a universal suite of productivity tools you probably already know about but may not be using yet. It allows you to organize, communicate, and collaborate smarter and more efficiently than ever through a collection of work-related applications. Email, a calendar and scheduling, document and file storage, productivity and organizational tools like spreadsheets are all here under one roof and accessible from virtually anywhere. The goal is to streamline how you work and deliver a holistic and scalable solution that's ready to grow with you and your business. Let's take a closer look at why you should consider Google Workspace, including how you can get premium access to the suite to try it for 14 days today for free.