Honor is set to unveil its Magic 7 smartphone series later this month, and reliable leaker Digital Chat Station reports that among its upgrades will be biometric authentication features more commonly found on cutting-edge flagship phones. states.
Honor has reportedly upgraded the Magic 7 Pro with a single-point ultrasonic fingerprint sensor made by OmniVision under the OLED screen.
The current version, Honor Magic 6 Pro, was launched earlier this year and comes with an OLED screen. However, it did have the more commonly used under-display optical biometric fingerprint sensor.
According to Wired’s review of the smartphone, the fingerprint sensor can be a bit unwieldy, while other reviewers and users have complained that the fingerprint sensor is placed too far into the screen.
Ultrasonic biometric sensors are still relatively new and are included in fewer mobile phones than the more common optical or capacitive biometric sensors. Other phones with ultrasonic fingerprint sensors include the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and Google’s Pixel 9.
Ultrasonic biometric fingerprint scanners are often compared to emissive optical sensors, which capture reflections from the peaks and valleys of a finger, or capacitive sensors, which measure the electrical differences between peaks and valleys. provides superior security and accuracy.
Instead, ultrasonic fingerprint scanners emit high-frequency sound waves that bounce off your finger when you place it over the sensor. The scanner analyzes the pattern of reflected waves and builds a detailed 3D map of the fingerprint.
This map includes details such as subsurface blood flow, making it very difficult to deceive. Ultrasonic biometric scanners also have the ability to work accurately even with dirty or wet hands. Samsung was one of the first smartphone manufacturers to use ultrasound biometric scanners, switching from optical to a new type with the Galaxy S10.
In addition to its features, leaker Digital Chat Station said that the new Honor Magic 7 Pro will include 100W wired and wireless charging, and a micro-quad curved screen with ultra-thin bezels of the same size. However, tipsters say that the main camera, periscope sensor, and battery capacity will not be upgraded.
One of the leading suppliers of ultrasonic biometric sensors for smartphone brands is Shenzhen-based Goodix. The company first made its name with touchscreen solutions for smartphones. Goodix previously offered optical fingerprint sensors for Honor phones. Goodix and OmniVision may have a competitor in Huawei, according to patents identified this year.
Honor, which was once a subsidiary of Chinese tech company Huawei, was sold in November 2020. Previously known for its low- and mid-range phones, Honor’s premium smartphones often include some features commonly found in high-end flagship phones.
Article topics
Fingerprint biometrics | Fingerprint sensor | Honor | Omnivision technology | Ultrasonic fingerprint | On display