Fingerprint recognition technology is rapidly gaining widespread adoption, with the penetration rates of chips and modul

With the rapid popularization of fingerprint recognition features in smartphones, the penetration rate of the associated chips and modules continues to rise. Mobile phone manufacturers such as Samsung, Huawei, ZTE, and Meizu have successively launched devices featuring fingerprint recognition—a trend that has since spread across various brands—thereby accelerating the penetration of biometric capabilities from the high-end market into the mid-to-low-end segments. Currently, fingerprint recognition technology has demonstrated excellent practical results in sectors such as time and attendance management, access control, and mobile payments; furthermore, it is now seeing widespread adoption across industries including finance, public security, education, and social security.

Rapid Popularization of Fingerprint Recognition: Rising Penetration of Chips and Modules
Recently, the iPhone 7 officially went on sale. For this release, Apple upgraded the fingerprint recognition technology in its new device, incorporating an entirely new engine to ensure faster recognition speeds. In fact, interest in fingerprint recognition technology first began to surge following the launch of the iPhone 5s. Users simply needed to use their own fingers to set a unique, personalized fingerprint password—a process that was both convenient and secure. Consequently, the Android ecosystem—representing the other major camp in the mobile device market—also began to widely adopt fingerprint recognition capabilities. 

What Is Fingerprint Recognition Technology?
Fingerprint recognition is a form of biometric-based identity verification; other examples include iris recognition and facial recognition. By comparison, fingerprint recognition stands out as the most mature, convenient, and cost-effective technology within the broader field of biometrics. This technology leverages the unique and stable characteristics inherent in human fingerprints, utilizing photoelectric sensors, pattern recognition algorithms, and computer image processing techniques to capture, analyze, and match live fingerprint data, thereby enabling the automatic, rapid, and accurate identification of individuals. 

From the 1980s to the present day, the core technologies underlying fingerprint recognition have matured significantly. In terms of image acquisition, several mainstream sensor technologies—including optical, semiconductor, and ultrasonic sensors—have emerged, each demonstrating robust performance. Regarding fingerprint algorithms, continuous optimization driven by specific application requirements has led to the development of various matching methods, ranging from pure feature-point matching to combined feature-point and image matching, as well as pure image matching. 
While fingerprint recognition technology is mature, it is not universally applicable to every individual. Each fingerprint contains several unique, measurable feature points—with each feature point possessing approximately seven distinct characteristics—meaning that a person's ten fingers collectively generate a minimum of 4,900 independent, measurable features. Fingerprint recognition technology operates by analyzing measurable characteristic points within a fingerprint, extracting specific feature values, and subsequently performing authentication. Although every individual's fingerprint is unique, this technology is not universally applicable across every industry or suitable for every person. For instance, individuals whose hands are constantly engaged in manual labor often encounter difficulties with fingerprint recognition; even the slightest abrasion on their fingers, or exposure to wet, dry, or contaminated environments, can render the fingerprint recognition function inoperable. 

The Fingerprint Recognition Market Flourishes
In recent years, the proportion of mobile phones equipped with fingerprint recognition capabilities has steadily increased. According to statistics from CCID, global shipments of fingerprint recognition chips totaled 210 million units in 2014; this figure surged to 360 million units in 2015—a growth rate of 73.02%. By 2016, global fingerprint chip shipments are projected to reach 550 million units, with a projected growth rate approaching 50%. Furthermore, the penetration rate of fingerprint recognition technology in Android devices stood at approximately 25% last year; this rate is expected to rise to 50% this year, indicating immense potential for future growth.
Recently, Samsung’s series of initiatives regarding iris recognition has garnered significant attention. However, iris recognition is susceptible to interference from lighting conditions and eyewear, while the accuracy of facial recognition can vary. In comparison, fingerprint recognition remains the more popular choice. As a major player in the mobile device sector, Android smartphones have also widely adopted fingerprint recognition functionality. 
With the widespread adoption of the Internet and mobile payment systems, the security of personal information has become increasingly critical. Consequently, fingerprint recognition technology has expanded beyond specialized industry applications (such as finance, public security, and education) to penetrate the consumer electronics market, gradually becoming a standard feature in mainstream smartphones. In 2015, sales of fingerprint recognition sensors in the Chinese market exceeded 70 million units, with over 60 million of these sensors being integrated into mobile phones. It is projected that in 2016, the volume of fingerprint recognition sensors deployed within the Chinese smartphone market will surpass 120 million units. 

Ultrasonic Fingerprint Recognition Technology Enters the Spotlight
Nevertheless—despite the rapid pace at which fingerprint recognition technology has been adopted—current implementations still suffer from certain flaws that continue to draw criticism. Ultrasonic fingerprint recognition technology—which has only recently begun to capture the public's attention—clearly offers superior recognition capabilities, versatility, and integration potential when compared to traditional fingerprint technologies based on capacitive touchscreens.

Specifically, ultrasonic scanning technology boasts distinct and cutting-edge characteristics: it can recognize fingerprints without requiring direct physical contact. Essentially, you no longer need to place your finger directly onto a specific button; simply hovering your finger over the designated recognition area is sufficient to initiate a scan. Furthermore, the technology remains functional even when the finger is slightly soiled or damp. It can even penetrate various barriers—such as glass, aluminum, stainless steel, sapphire, and plastic—to perform recognition, allowing for seamless integration into a device's casing without compromising scanning accuracy.

This implies that, in the future, sensors need not be confined to the surface of a mobile device; they will no longer require capacitive sensors, physical buttons, or specific touch-sensitive zones. These ultrasonic sensors—which are smaller yet capable of capturing richer fingerprint data—can be discreetly embedded within any part of the device's body—beneath glass, plastic, or even metal—whether situated within the display itself, along the bezels, or elsewhere, thereby further maximizing the screen-to-body ratio. With ultra-narrow bezels and ultra-slim profiles becoming increasingly commonplace, the advent of this new technology could potentially enable devices to set new records for thinness and lightness.

Although technical analysts over the past two years have often predicted that ultrasonic fingerprint recognition would struggle to become mainstream—citing issues such as low yield rates and high power consumption—the landscape is now shifting. Given Qualcomm's active promotion of the technology, coupled with the recent entry of major players like Xiaomi and LeEco—not to mention Apple's long-standing, covert R&D efforts—ultrasonic fingerprint technology could very well spark the next major competitive race in the industry.