Rumor: Xiaomi puts ultrasonic fingerprint scanner in Mi 5s

It is rumored that Xiaomi will release a new variant of the Mi 5 in the second half of this year: the Mi 5s. This would replace the regular fingerprint scanner for Sense ID, Qualcomm’s scanner that works with ultrasound to identify the finger.

Xiaomi is building a metal case for the Mi 5s, according to the Chinese site MyDrivers, while the Mi 5 has a glass case. In addition, the manufacturer would add a second camera on the back, a feature that we have seen on more phones in recent months, such as on the LG G5 and Huawei P9. The phone would also have a memory of 6GB.

It is unknown whether Xiaomi will integrate the fingerprint scanner in the home button or move it to another place, for example on the back. Qualcomm suggested Sense ID last year, but so far no smartphones have appeared with the scanner. According to Qualcomm, the advantages of his scanner are that it can be hidden behind a metal or glass housing and that users can also identify themselves with dirty fingers.

The reason for the improved accuracy is the use of ultrasonic sound waves. They make a 3D image of the fingerprint, as it were. The image is created not only with the line patterns on the finger, but also with properties such as pores and other depth information. Sense ID therefore uses more information than conventional fingerprint scanners and that at the same time makes it more difficult to imitate a fingerprint.

Xiaomi has not yet commented on the rumors. That a Mi 5s could be coming is no surprise. The manufacturer often releases different versions of its Mi phones, such as the Mi2s, Mi4i and Mi4c.