Galaxy S8 to use facial recognition for payments

Samsung is hoping to help the Galaxy S8 standout from other flagship phones with facial recognition for mobile payments. The handset will use fingerprints as well as iris and facial recognition to authenticate for Samsung Pay, according to sources speaking to Bloomberg. 

Previous rumours have suggested the Galaxy S8 will feature an iris scanner and facial recognition, while a Samsung employee was quoted as saying earlier this week that fingerprint recognition is "obsolete" compared to other security techniques. 

Indeed, it's not the first time facial recognition has landed on a Samsung smartphone – it's been used for unlocking before – but would be the first time the technology is used for payments.

Samsung is working with banks on the system, which might not be available at the Samsung Galaxy S8 launch later this month as financial institutions need some convincing to "help them embrace" the technology. So if that's a feature you're planning on using, it may be your bank that holds up the process, rather than Samsung. 

Source: Galaxy S8 to use facial recognition for payments