Horrible finger print reader position fix

[EskeRahn 5,460]

23 minutes ago, Serolfic said:

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.

Yes it could just as well have been at the top, but then they would need to move the buttons to another location, so would just transfer the problem.

There really is very little safe space on the right side, when held in the right hand.
And they can't be at the ends either, As holding in both hands in landscape would be the norm.
And moved to the other side would hit the majority holding it in the left hand in portrait. (Not to mention the problems opened)

This is why I see the only solution for being held in the right hand is to let the auto-rotate-software also allow it to be held speaker down.
OR adding a shell or case, as this strongly reduces unwanted interactions. (Here a shell from a Huawei P20 Pro, with few modifictions)

[Sero 89]

3 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

Yes it could just as well have been at the top, but then they would need to move the buttons to another location, so would just transfer the problem.

There really is very little safe space on the right side, when held in the right hand.
And they can't be at the ends either, As holding in both hands in landscape would be the norm.
And moved to the other side would hit the majority holding it in the left hand in portrait. (Not to mention the problems opened)

This is why I see the only solution for being held in the right hand is to let the auto-rotate-software also allow it to be held speaker down.
OR adding a shell or case, as this strongly reduces unwanted interactions. (Here a shell from a Huawei P20 Pro, with few modifictions)

Admittedly, I haven't had a look at the teardown to see what the internals look like so maybe that is the only realistic place they could put it?

Agree about the case though. Should stop it from being triggered just by being held in the hand, and should make it easier to find and prevent Partial Fingerprint scans. A flip case where the flippy bit blocks the fingerprint sensor would be wonderful but... one step at a time 🙂

[EskeRahn 5,460]

47 minutes ago, Serolfic said:

A flip case where the flippy bit blocks the fingerprint sensor would be wonderful but... one step at a time 🙂

Oh we got that!! Se e.g. this and from p8 and forward in this thread (and my own blog)

[ermghoti 88]

I've never met a fingerprint reader I didn't hate, so I didn't configure it, and I don't encounter the failed attempts as a consequence. I guess that's the nuclear option until a patch comes through.

[Sero 89]

1 hour ago, EskeRahn said:

Oh we got that!! Se e.g. this and from p8 and forward in this thread (and my own blog)

Okay that looks perfect.

[brockhulse 14]

Guys, I just registered the part of my hand near the reader (at the base of my index finger) as a new "fingerprint", and now all I have to do to unlock my phone is hold it. I was initially confused by the placement of the fingerprint reader as well, but I think this may end up being an even better placement than most other fingerprint reader placements. I'll have to see over the next few days how it goes, but it at least has potential.

[zurvan2 125]

8 hours ago, brockhulse said:

Guys, I just registered the part of my hand near the reader (at the base of my index finger) as a new "fingerprint", and now all I have to do to unlock my phone is hold it. I was initially confused by the placement of the fingerprint reader as well, but I think this may end up being an even better placement than most other fingerprint reader placements. I'll have to see over the next few days how it goes, but it at least has potential.

I don't think most people are complaining that it's hard to reach the fingerprint reader... most complaints are that it's too easy to *unintentionally* activate the fingerprint reader. The failure cases are that the phone is already unlocked when you go to use it or that the screen shows "too many attempts". Both are because the fingerprint reader is, in essence *too* convenient.

[ermghoti 88]

Well, yes, but if you register the part of your hand that causes inadvertent reads, the reads would be successful, and there'd be no lockouts, correct?

[Kabbone 36]

for me the placement is actually really nice as left handed, but could it be this was disabled/coupled with screen on with the last update? I know some people here were complaining about this, but now the power button gets worn off again 🙄

[henk.setten 8]

On 1/25/2020 at 6:13 PM, 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.

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?

Yes there is! Problem solved (for me at least).

I had the very same problem (continuous "too many attempts" warnings even caused hiccups for my banking app...) and I stumbled onto an excellent fix.

Go to the Play Store and install the app Admin Control by Dave Hewitt. Very simple small app, totally free, no ads, doesn't use internet, open-source (Github). This app has just one on-off switch and what it does is very simple: it disables the fingerprint sensor JUST for the lock screen. Meaning that on a locked phone the fingerprint sensor is inactive, but once the phone is unlocked, the fingerprint sensor will work normally in all your other apps.

This also means, of course, that every time you need to unlock your locked phone, you will need your PIN code. For me this is a minor inconvenience (but I can imagine this would be less ideal for people who need to unlock their phone 50 times a day).

The little app works really fine for me, I've seen no more "too many attempts" warnings since I installed it two days ago. Note that to disable the fingerprint sensor for the lock screen, the apps Device Administrator permission, it will ask for permission the first time you use it.

OK, I hope this will help some other users too.

[EskeRahn 5,460]

56 minutes ago, henk.setten said:

it disables the fingerprint sensor JUST for the lock screen.

It would be great if it allowed to disable on lockscreen ONLY when display is off. So pressing power would activate the scanner.

As Open source, I hope someone can make this mod!

[gelraen.ua 33]

+1 to placement being awful for portrait mode and generally holding the phone in your hand. Adding the part of the palm that triggers it most often as a separate fingerprint seems to make it less annoying 😄

But I'd still very much prefer placement as in first Google Pixel: round thing on the back, image attached. That would be perfect for index finger in portrait mode and left middle finger in landscape.

[Hook 3,021]

6 hours ago, gelraen.ua said:

+1 to placement being awful for portrait mode and generally holding the phone in your hand. Adding the part of the palm that triggers it most often as a separate fingerprint seems to make it less annoying 😄

But I'd still very much prefer placement as in first Google Pixel: round thing on the back, image attached. That would be perfect for index finger in portrait mode and left middle finger in landscape.

I had this placement on my Nexus 6p and loved it.  Made picking up the phone and unlocking it a single motion.  Rarely had to even think about it.

[zurvan2 125]

On 1/31/2020 at 10:52 AM, ermghoti said:

Well, yes, but if you register the part of your hand that causes inadvertent reads, the reads would be successful, and there'd be no lockouts, correct?

I would rather have to enter my password manually than have my phone subject to arbitrary inputs when it was unlocked without my knowing. This is the original purpose of a "keyguard".

[EskeRahn 5,460]

1 hour ago, zurvan2 said:

I would rather have to enter my password manually than have my phone subject to arbitrary inputs when it was unlocked without my knowing. This is the original purpose of a "keyguard".

Well it depends on how people use it. If they use it for unlocking the phone only, and not for authorising any sort of payments or the like, it could make sense to let the hand unlock. On the other hand I would certainly not use it either if used for authorising say payments.

[ermghoti 88]

4 hours ago, zurvan2 said:

I would rather have to enter my password manually than have my phone subject to arbitrary inputs when it was unlocked without my knowing. This is the original purpose of a "keyguard".

That's fair, I was just throwing out a possible work-around until a patch comes through.

[FlyingAntero 871]

If you have disaled touch vibration from the sound settings you can go even further to disable vibration of the fingerprint sensor. That can be done from Settings->Accessibility->Vibration->Touch vibration, and set it to Off. It disables touch vibration from the screen and fingerprint so the vibration in the pocket doesn't interrupt you. However, you will also lose the feedback of the correct unlock.

With tasker you are able to disable fingerpint when screen is off but enabling it again needs reboot.

[windraver 63]

just posting to saying that I also have a problem with the fingerprint scanner being too easily triggered by my palm. Specifically, trying to put the phone into my pocket usually results in 1-2 triggers from palm or other fingers due to location of the scanner as well as the shape/design. Previously was using the Pixel 3 and even before than the Moto Z2, the back side scanner is simply more accurate while the indentation prevents unintended scans.

I'd even say a case would solve this but I can't find a case that fits well. I went and got a silicon case made for the HTC Pro and it was terrible as I'd have to cut it to open ports and once I tried it just got worse. If FXTec comes out with the case they promised then it'd be far better and could actually resolve this by creating a gap thus preventing unintended triggers.

[peter3 10]

Is there any way to just disable it completely? Either that or touch detection at the edge of the screen is distracting other software

[Zamasu 258]

I believe you first need to enable the fingerprint sensor before it'll be activated automatically. So if you never do that, then it's completely disabled in practice. No idea if you can do this after enabling it, but I'd guess you can.

[peter3 10]

I've deleted my fingerprint - might have sorted it!

[rkjnsn 14]

I also very often inadvertently trigger the fingerprint reader with my palm. The ideal positioning for me would be above the power button where the volume keys are now. Easy to press with my thumb when holding in my right hand, and easy to press with my index finger on my left hand. The volume keys could then move to the left side of the phone, similarly accessible easily in both hands. When in landscape mode, the fingerprint reader could easily be reached by my left index finger, and the volume adjusted with my left thumb. I personally also find that having the volume opposite from the power button makes it easier to take a screenshot by simultaneously pressing power and volume down with a single squeezing motion.

Edited February 25, 2020 by rkjnsn
remove redundant "also"

[EskeRahn 5,460]

10 hours ago, rkjnsn said:

I also very often inadvertently trigger the fingerprint reader with my palm. The ideal positioning for me would be above the power button where the volume keys are now. Easy to press with my thumb when holding in my right hand, and easy to press with my index finger on my left hand. The volume keys could then move to the left side of the phone, similarly accessible easily in both hands. When in landscape mode, the fingerprint reader could easily be reached by my left index finger, and the volume adjusted with my left thumb. I personally also find that having the volume opposite from the power button makes it easier to take a screenshot by simultaneously pressing power and volume down with a single squeezing motion.

This may sound silly at first, but have you tried to hold it earpiece down? Autorotate unfortunately does not handle that well stock android, but there are apps that can remedy that. And it is build in options in LineageOS:

[OKSun 103]

On 1/31/2020 at 5:39 PM, henk.setten said:

Yes there is! Problem solved (for me at least).

I had the very same problem (continuous "too many attempts" warnings even caused hiccups for my banking app...) and I stumbled onto an excellent fix.

Go to the Play Store and install the app Admin Control by Dave Hewitt. Very simple small app, totally free, no ads, doesn't use internet, open-source (Github). This app has just one on-off switch and what it does is very simple: it disables the fingerprint sensor JUST for the lock screen. Meaning that on a locked phone the fingerprint sensor is inactive, but once the phone is unlocked, the fingerprint sensor will work normally in all your other apps.

This also means, of course, that every time you need to unlock your locked phone, you will need your PIN code. For me this is a minor inconvenience (but I can imagine this would be less ideal for people who need to unlock their phone 50 times a day).

The little app works really fine for me, I've seen no more "too many attempts" warnings since I installed it two days ago. Note that to disable the fingerprint sensor for the lock screen, the apps Device Administrator permission, it will ask for permission the first time you use it.

OK, I hope this will help some other users too.

 

I would like to hear your experience. I have not yet activated the finger print reader under stock android, as I remembered it lead to some issues (too many read attempts).

If I activate it (to use my banking app), I understand from the post above that it is possible to deactivate it on the lock screen using the app mentioned.

I just wanted to ask about your experience / whether it solves the issues. For example, normally I press the power button to switch off the screen before putting the phone in my pocket, will I experience unintended read (power and reader are next to each others)?

I know there were some progress under lineage to solve the issue. How about stock android version?

 

 

Edited August 21, 2020 by OKSun

[EskeRahn 5,460]

7 minutes ago, OKSun said:

I have not yet activated the finger print reader under stock android, as I remembered it lead to some issues (too many read attempts).

If I activate it (to use my banking app), I understand from the post above that it is possible to deactivate it on the lock screen using the app mentioned.

I just wanted to ask about your experience / whether it solves the issues. For example, normally I press the power button to switch off the screen before putting the phone in my pocket, will I experience unintended read (power and reader are next to each others)?

I know there were some progress under lineage to solve the issue. How about stock android version?

On stock this (still) requires you to be careful how you grab the device, to avoid accidental triggering, and the annoying "Too many retries". OR on the contrary be sure to register the fingerprint of the finger touching when grabbing to deliberately unlock when picking it up from the table/pocket.

It should be said that this problem is in reality eliminated if you use some sort of case. And 100% eliminated if a flip case opening to the right behind the screen is used ('Japanese' style book).