Fingerprint recognition will remain the leading biometric technology
While the adoption of biometrics has been concentrated in the government sector, market dynamics are shifting, as these technologies find increasing use in consumer electronic products. Many computers and laptops already use biometrics, and several tier-one manufacturers are now looking to introduce biometrics into devices, such as mobile phones, to distinguish their high-end products in the market.
According to the new analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Innovations in Biometrics for Consumer Electronics, fingerprint recognition will remain the leading biometric technology used in consumer electronics due to its convenience, cost-efficiency and quick ROI. Iris recognition and multimodal biometrics will rapidly grow in the next three years due to their accuracy, although the high cost and large size of iris recognition systems may hinder widespread uptake. Voice and face recognition technologies likewise should find higher usage depending on the security requirement of the application.
"The acquisition of Authentec by Apple has kick-started the biometrics trend in consumer electronics and Samsung has also filed for biometric patents, indicating the company's interest in incorporating biometric scanning into its devices," said Technical Insights Research Analyst Mousumi Dasgupta. "With the world's two most popular smartphone manufacturers employing biometric sensors, all major mobile manufacturers are likely to soon follow suit."
However, large-scale implementation may only occur when more established, cheaper biometric solutions are available, given that high costs deter end users. Further, biometric features are still not considered essential on consumer electronics, and customers who do use these usually opt for less expensive alternatives, such as pass codes and tokens. As such, the launch of innovative, affordable biometrically enabled products will be vital to boost installations.
The lack of standardization reduces the ability of biometric software to function across consumer electronic devices, as various devices have different operating systems and versions. Establishing standards will be crucial to allow the use of biometric technologies with minimal integration.
"The capabilities of near field communication and cloud computing can be combined with biometrics to explore new market opportunities in mobile commerce applications," concluded Dasgupta. "In fact, mobile network operators and cloud service providers are expected to enter the biometrics for consumer electronics market to fully utilize the security and convenience offered by biometrics."
Innovations in Biometrics for Consumer Electronics, a part of the Technical Insights subscription, covers key biometric technologies, their advantages and applications in the consumer electronics market. It also covers various dimensions that shape the biometrics market, including market opportunities, global footprint, and market impact of key innovations, funding trends, Mega Trend impact, and potential points of convergence. Further, this research service includes detailed technology analysis and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.