Soon Android device owners will be able to finger their devices and get a reaction, just like those of us with an iPhone 5s. An article in USA Today, today, (that always sounds weird), says the FIDO Alliance, a group of 48 tech companies, led by PayPal and Lenovo, is hustling to implement a “milestone technical standard”. (Too late guys, Apple already did that.)
“The intention of FIDO is absolutely that it will allow consumers to have access to mobile services that they can use with very low friction, while keeping good security,” says (Michael) Barrett, president of the FIDO Alliance. “That’s explicitly what we want to build.”
Um, didn’t Apple just did with Touch ID?
Apple’s latest iPhone model features a much-ballyhooed fingerprint sensor, called Touch ID, that can be used to lock and unlock the phone, as well as authenticate the user to purchase digital media on iTunes. Touch ID, for the moment, is not FIDO-compliant. Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris declined comment.
However, Barrett says Touch ID could easily be adapted to FIDO. “Our view is that it’s possible Apple might choose to start using FIDO, but that’s probably a couple of years out.”
Isn’t that what was said about NFC a couple of years ago?
The initial FIDO-equipped Android devices, along with an array of commercial services using the FIDO protocols, are on track to roll out in early 2014, Barrett says.
Good luck with that guys, and if it doesn’t work out for you, don’t worry. Apple will have another technological advance for you to piggy-back onto some time soon.
