FINGERPRINT AUTHENTICATION COMING TO ANDROID M

Android

Fingerprint authentication is becoming more popular as phone manufactures start to implement the functionality within their devices. Being able to unlock your phone through the fingerprint scanner is much faster than typing in a pass code or using some type of swipe pattern. However, I am still left asking one question over and over, “Why can’t I log into my apps using my fingerprint?” Well, it looks like this will no longer be a concern as Google is possibly releasing a fingerprint authentication feature with the release of Android M. Once again, Google is reading my thoughts and making my dreams come true! Thanks Google!



First reported by BuzzFeed, Google will be implementing a fingerprint authentication which will allow users to log into a number of apps that usually require a password with one simple touch. While this has not been formally announced by Google, we are told that we can expect this to be announced during a keynote at Google I/O.

Being able to log into different apps using your fingerprint will solve a number of issues that we experience each day. One of the problems that we hear often is the possibility of someone hacking your phone. We store all sorts of confidential information on our phones on a regular basis making it a valuable target for hackers. Fingerprint scanners are not faultless, but definitely provide a new level of security that goes beyond a password that can be caught by a wandering eye. 

However Keep in mind, if someone really wants to get information off of your phone, they will–as long as they have the tools and know how to do it. (They could chop your arm off if they really wanted to, but it’s not really worth it if they are just hacking your phone for a phony Facebook status.) There is no such thing as fully preventing a hacker from taking what they want. The key is in making it sufficiently difficult to where the payout to the hacker isn’t worth their time to overcome the security measures that you’ve put into place. If you don’t have high-profile information and aren’t a millionaire, typically following traditional cyber-security best practices will be sufficient.

If you are trying to be cautions by not allowing your friends, family, kids, or strangers to have access to your phone; typically a fingerprint scanner will provide more security than a swipe code–or even a pass code. Especially knowing that many of us use predictable passwords that can easily be guessed. With all of that in mind, many phone manufactures require a passcode be set as a backup in case we are unable to log into our phone using our fingerprint. While this seems to defeat the purpose of having a more secure login process, lets hope we will see future viable alternatives to passwords as Google enters the ring. Heartbeat or bio-metric backup authentication anyone?



As with any other rumor, keep your optimism cautious until we hear the official announcement from Google. What are your thoughts? Doyou wish you could sign into different apps using your fingerprint? Do you think your fingerprint is more secure than a pass code? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.