Mate 20 Pro debuted last year and was critically acclaimed for not only bringing a legion of flagship features to the table, but also for introducing a number of innovative features in its own right.
In addition to offering Android fans a gorgeous display, powerful processor and laudable triple-camera system, Mate 20 Pro also boasted wireless reverse charging and an in-display fingerprint reader.
The former allowed the handset to charge other devices that were placed on its rear while the latter offered a fresh way to unlock the device.
Mate 20 Pro harnessed an optical fingerprint sensor, meaning part of the display needed to light up in order for it to scan a user’s finger.
This differs from ultrasonic methods that use ultrasound technology to create a 3D map of the user’s print.
It is worth noting the Samsung Galaxy S10 is rumoured to feature an ultrasonic reader.
The Chinese OEM’s scanner was placed under a small segment of the phone’s display, meaning users would need to place their finger in a precise spot in order for the phone to unlock.
The limited area meant if the user did not press their finger in the exact region offered, the phone would have a higher chance of unlock failure.
However, it appears Huawei’s Chinese rival, OPPO, is determined to provide a solution to such a problem with new biometric technology.
The firm has announced a “wide zone” optical reader it claims gives users an area of “up to 15 times” bigger to place their finger on.
Moreover, OPPO also declared its new scanner allows for two fingerprints to be pressed on it at the same time, providing a new method of authentication.
The Chinese OEM is touting such functionality as a way to improve user security overall.
Discussing its new technology, OPPO said: “OPPO wide zone optical fingerprint recognition contains innovative functions including two-finger simultaneous entry and authentication, which exponentially improves payment security, achieving a security level 50,000 times of that of a single fingerprint.”
An image of the technology in action was showcased by the tech giant.
The firm displayed an image of a traditional in-display fingerprint reader that was shown next to its wide zone scanner.
The latter was shown to have a much larger area for users to take advantage of.
OPPO insisted it will display products this year that will arrive with the technology in question.
However, the firm did not provide any further details on future announcements.