Phone info minefield - fingerprint sensors

Hebrews12

Hi there.  My old phones had either a fingerprint sensor on the side or the back but now modern phones seem to have them on the screen. The issue I have is that I don't like flip cases that protect your screen and all the screen protectors I've got for the one I have now that have a slightly thinner area over the sensor are really poor. I even tried one that head the hole cut out but that made typing very difficult.  I'm trying to find which modern phones have a sensor on either the side or the back but it's a minefield.  Can anyone recommend a decent phone that does please?

DullGreyGuy

Any reason to stick with fingerprint rather than face?

Appears you prefer Android but iPhones haven't had any fingerprint sensor since 2017

geordiejon

samsung m23 5g has a side fingerprint reader, i have been using phone about a year works very well.

Hebrews12

DullGreyGuy said:

Any reason to stick with fingerprint rather than face?

Appears you prefer Android but iPhones haven't had any fingerprint sensor since 2017

Just preference.

TadleyBaggie

DullGreyGuy said:

Any reason to stick with fingerprint rather than face?

Appears you prefer Android but iPhones haven't had any fingerprint sensor since 2017

The most recent iPhone SE model released in 2022 still has a fingerprint sensor. 

Cisco001

What budget?

FYI
https://www.gsmarena.com/results.php3?nYearMin=2023&s5Gs=0&sFingerprints=2,3,4

LeesArt

DullGreyGuy said:

Any reason to stick with fingerprint rather than face?

Appears you prefer Android but iPhones haven't had any fingerprint sensor since 2017

I think both fingerprints and facial recognition actually present a security risk, for example if you get mugged the thief can easily use your face.

I use a long alpha numeric passcode and only use the fingerprint (with deviation) to open apps that allow me use touch ID (e.g. Signal) this provides an extra level of security that is sadly lacking, it would be good if Apple allowed TouchID to be set for all apps.

I do not use touch ID on my banking app because they replace the security of the app when what I want is for the fingerprint to be an additional level.

I feel that it is important to have at least one barrier being something only you know.

Bradden

Have you tried the glass screen protectors? I use one with my Pixel phone and the fingerprint scanner works fine.

jbrassy

LeesArt said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Any reason to stick with fingerprint rather than face?

Appears you prefer Android but iPhones haven't had any fingerprint sensor since 2017

I think both fingerprints and facial recognition actually present a security risk, for example if you get mugged the thief can easily use your face.

This is nonsense. If someone steals your phone and runs away, how can they steal your face? 

PHK

LeesArt said:

DullGreyGuy said:

Any reason to stick with fingerprint rather than face?

Appears you prefer Android but iPhones haven't had any fingerprint sensor since 2017

I think both fingerprints and facial recognition actually present a security risk, for example if you get mugged the thief can easily use your face.

I use a long alpha numeric passcode and only use the fingerprint (with deviation) to open apps that allow me use touch ID (e.g. Signal) this provides an extra level of security that is sadly lacking, it would be good if Apple allowed TouchID to be set for all apps.

I do not use touch ID on my banking app because they replace the security of the app when what I want is for the fingerprint to be an additional level.

I feel that it is important to have at least one barrier being something only you know.

That doesn't stand up to the facts. FaceID requires an eyes open  three dimensional scan of the face. A mugger could only do that if they forced you to cooperate which would also make fingerprints and passwords vulnerable. 

The risk of a fake positive from a fingerprint sensor is between 1 in 20,000 and 1 in 50,000 depending on the sensor. Compare that to less than 1 in 10,000 for a four digit PIN

You are correct to use a long alphanumeric password. Coupled with real FaceID and Stolen Device Protection turned on, that's about as secure as you can get. 

Murmansk

My last two or three phones have had a sensor on the screen but I've had no problems whatsoever with a glass screen protector costing only about £3 on Ebay.