Horrible finger print reader position fix

[Druid 20]

hello guys,
I finally got my Pro1, the experience has been pretty good, the camera aspect is well, serviceable, but the most annoying thing is the fingerprint reader registering inputs when you just hold and grip the phone in your hand when it's locked, leading to the dreaded "too many attempts, try again later" prompt.
I think the proper fix (apart from not enrolling into fingerprint unlock) is to only turn the fingerprint reader on when the phone screen is on.

The big question is: is there a way to disable the fingerprint reader from reading whatever it's placed on it when the screen is off?

[Slion 1,201]

That or increase or remove the possible number of attempts.

[TeZtdevice 297]

12 minutes ago, Slion said:

That or increase or remove the possible number of attempts.

+1 for remove number of attempts

[cube48 51]

Or making the sensor active only after waking up by power button (or keyboard in the future if it gets implemented).

[Benni 183]

3 minutes ago, cube48 said:

Or making the sensor active only after waking up by power button (or keyboard in the future if it gets implemented).

+1

[FlyingAntero 871]

12 hours ago, alexmarzulli said:

I think the proper fix (apart from not enrolling into fingerprint unlock) is to only turn the fingerprint reader on when the phone screen is on.

That feature should be possible since OnePlus kinda had that feature by accident

• https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/oxygenos-9-0-0-ota-for-oneplus-5-and-oneplus-5t.970309/

"Q. Why my Fingerprint does not work, after my phone is in standby for long time?

A: The Fingerprint service goes to sleep and thus doesn't allow unlocking the phone.
To avoid this, the current work-around it to turn Off Standby Optimization in Advanced Optimization Battery Settings or wake up the phone using Power button after long standby."

So the "Fingerprint service" should be hibernated when screen is off and re-started after power button is pressed.

On my Xperia XZ1 Compact the fingerprint sensor is totally disabled when the screen is off. However, power button and fingerprint sensor are in the same button. So when I press the power button I read my finger same time and the phone will unlock. But if I just touch the fingerprint sensor and not press the button down nothing happens.

 

[Slion 1,201]

On Pro1 it does look like the fingerprint reader is off once the phone has been idle for some time. You have to hit the power button to wake it up, then scan your finger.

[Slion 1,201]

Actually turning on the Battery Saver on Pro1 does disable the fingerprint reader as soon as you lock your phone and until you hit the power button to wake it up.

[Slion 1,201]

11 minutes ago, Slion said:

Actually turning on the Battery Saver on Pro1 does disable the fingerprint reader as soon as you lock your phone and until you hit the power button to wake it up.

Scratch that, all it does is disabling the haptic feedback.

[Druid 20]

So Fxteam, would be possible to include this option in the next OTA update?

[Kabbone 36]

but please only make it an option. Mine isn't here yet, needs some more days to deliver, but normally I always wake up my phones with the fingerprint reader. Typically if you always use the power button for this, the button dies at first even if the rest of the device is still fine.

[J_P 23]

Is anyone having anything other than a terrible experience with the fingerprint reader?

If it's not already at 'too many attempts' when I start trying to unlock, it usually just fails to read my fingerprint multiple times in a row - and this is after relearning it multiple times.

I think I'm successfully unlocking with it 1 time in 5 at best.

Is my phone defective or is it like this for everyone?

[Slion 1,201]

4 minutes ago, J_P said:

Is anyone having anything other than a terrible experience with the fingerprint reader?

I find mine works just fine. The more fingerprints your register the better it gets. Instead of deleting an existing fingerprint just add another one. Having multiple entries for the same finger helps with reliability. That's especially true if you have large fingers. 

[J_P 23]

Just now, Slion said:

Having multiple entries for the same finger helps with reliability. That's especially true if you have large fingers. 

Already done this, I have three entries for my right thumb, but it still doesn't work well. I have no problems at all with the fingerprint sensor on my Moto Z2 Play.

[EskeRahn 5,460]

1 hour ago, J_P said:

Is anyone having anything other than a terrible experience with the fingerprint reader?

If it's not already at 'too many attempts' when I start trying to unlock, it usually just fails to read my fingerprint multiple times in a row - and this is after relearning it multiple times.

I think I'm successfully unlocking with it 1 time in 5 at best.

Is my phone defective or is it like this for everyone?

The worst issue for me is that without a case it requires some getting used to NOT to pick it triggering the sensor, and then get the "Too many...".
F(x)tec have been suggested to add an OPTION so the scanner is only active when the screen is on. If selected this would mean we would have to press power first, but should eliminate the "too many...". I do not know if they will add that, but I hope and believe so.

With a shell or flip-case the issue is practically gone, as you don't get to it accidentally, as you feel the edges of the case around it, before reaching the scanner.

 

OPTIMALLY (and this goes for all protection systems), entering the SAME wrong code multiple times in quick succession should count as ONE attempt only!
But I would assume that would be an Android bug, that it would require messing with the system to fix, so not likely to happen soon.

[VaZso 1,998]

7 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

F(x)tec have been suggested to add an OPTION so the scanner is only active when the screen is on. If selected this would mean we would have to press power first, but should eliminate the "too many...". I do not know if they will add that, but I hope and believe so.

Anyway, if they successfully manage to enable function of double tap to wake, then it may be not a huge problem I think.

8 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

OPTIMALLY (and this goes for all protection systems), entering the SAME wrong code multiple times in quick succession should count as ONE attempt only!

It may happen that the hardware registers different codes as well.
Maybe a solution could be to disable the sensor handling for a short period of time after receiving an input...

[_DW_ 628]

Yeah the position is not good.  I decided not to configure it for now.

[EskeRahn 5,460]

14 minutes ago, _DW_ said:

Yeah the position is not good.  I decided not to configure it for now.

I really disagree. It sits PERFECT for using in landscape with right index, and also for right handed people holding it in the left operating with the right. Or for one handed usage with the left

BUT it is not good for holding in the right hand, and neither operating with left hand or right thumb.

Actually for using held in the right hand, it is better to hold it speaker down(!) but unfortunately stock android does not support that rotation, though there are apps that handles this. I Hope F(x)tec will handle this, to make it easier to hold in the right, to the benefit of primarily left handed people. but also one handed operation with right hand.

Of course an under the screen would be better today, but that was not available when this was designed

[Zamasu 258]

17 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

I really disagree. It sits PERFECT for using in landscape with right index, and also for right handed people holding it in the left operating with the right. Or for one handed usage with the left

BUT it is not good for holding in the right hand, and neither operating with left hand or right thumb.

Actually for using held in the right hand, it is better to hold it speaker down(!) but unfortunately stock android does not support that rotation, though there are apps that handles this. I Hope F(x)tec will handle this, to make it easier to hold in the right, to the benefit of primarily left handed people. but also one handed operation with right hand.

Of course an under the screen would be better today, but that was not available when this was designed

I was about to say that most people would use their dominant hand (so right for most people) to hold and use their phone in portrait position, thus making the placement stupid. But then I searched for it and saw https://tristandenyer.com/work/user-research-people-hold-interact-phone/ which says 57% use with one hand and hold with the other. And the plurality hold it with their left hand. 

[Slion 1,201]

I find the sensor position works well for me, both in landscape and portrait as well as with left and right hand.

Therefore I disagree with the title of that thread. However as discussed above they need to fix the behaviour of the sensor and ideally make it configurable to please everyone.

1. Optionally remove or change the maximum number of attempts.

2. Optionally deactivate the sensor when the screen goes to sleep.

[EskeRahn 5,460]

30 minutes ago, Zamasu said:

I was about to say that most people would use their dominant hand (so right for most people) to hold and use their phone in portrait position, thus making the placement stupid. But then I searched for it and saw https://tristandenyer.com/work/user-research-people-hold-interact-phone/ which says 57% use with one hand and hold with the other. And the plurality hold it with their left hand. 

I think they got the right trend, but it is vote based with only around a 100 votes, so take it with a pinch of salt.

[J_P 23]

3 hours ago, EskeRahn said:

Actually for using held in the right hand, it is better to hold it speaker down(!) but unfortunately stock android does not support that rotation, though there are apps that handles this. I Hope F(x)tec will handle this, to make it easier to hold in the right, to the benefit of primarily left handed people. but also one handed operation with right hand.

Of course an under the screen would be better today, but that was not available when this was designed

You may be on to something here - holding it upside down in the right hand you can push the keyboard open quite easily with your thumb - although unfortunately not without spamming the buttons and the fingerprint sensor....

[windraver 63]

I usually go caseless and keep this phone in my right pocket so this fingerprint scanner gets triggered while holding it in my right palm. Essentially the fingerprint scanner useless when I pull it out of right pocket for this reason.

[sequestris 710]

On 1/25/2020 at 11:13 AM, alexmarzulli said:

The big question is: is there a way to disable the fingerprint reader from reading whatever it's placed on it when the screen is off?

There's a fingerprint reader? 🤣
Sorry, just when I was setting it up it asked me to use one and I said no or HA or GTH or some such.
No problem when you never entered a print.

[Sero 89]

On 1/28/2020 at 12:01 PM, EskeRahn said:

I really disagree. It sits PERFECT for using in landscape with right index, and also for right handed people holding it in the left operating with the right.

I agree with this somewhat and I can see the idea behind it, however imagine if the fingerprint sensor were the same distance from the power button but above it instead of below it (and the volume buttons moved, obviously). It would sit perfectly in landscape to use with the left index (presumably you're using both hands if you have the keyboard out) and this wouldn't be an issue.

I love this phone, but I'm genuinely curious to hear from Fxtec what the justification was as surely they noticed this. I don't agree with every design decision but I can usually see where they're coming from.