14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is believed to have launched the iPhone X with Face ID exclusively mostly because it couldn’t get a fingerprint scanner integrated into the display to work correctly.
And while the company says this isn’t true and Face ID was, in fact, supposed to be the exclusive unlocking method from the very beginning, there’s no doubt there are many potential buyers out there who are holding on to their purchase because they think they can’t live without a fingerprint sensor.
They are the target of Vivo’s recently-unveiled X21 and X21 UD Android phones, and the latter not only that looks very similar to the iPhone X, but also comes with a fingerprint sensor embedded into the display.
Vivo is one of the first companies that managed to make this happen, and its phones are equipped with the Synaptics Clear ID FS9600 sensor that was showcased in late 2017. It allows for easy phone unlocking by simply touching the display in the lower area.
Android 8.1
Vivo’s smartphones also come with facial recognition, but no 3D sensing tech is being used. This means the two devices most likely feature only basic security in this regard, probably similar to what Samsung currently offers on its Galaxy S9, also lacking 3D sensing cameras.
When it comes to the rest of specifications, Vivo equipped the two phones with rather mid-range specs, such as a Snapdragon 660 processor and 6GB RAM. The 6.28-inch display features a resolution of 2280x1080 pixels, and the camera comes in the form of a dual-lens unit on the back with 12 megapixels each. Both devices are powered by Android 8.1 with Vivo’s own Funtouch ROM.
The Vivo X21, which comes with a fingerprint sensor on the back, will be available from $460, while the X21 UD featuring the innovative in-display reader, will go on sale with 128GB at $570.
