CrucialTec, a leading biometric sensor developer in South Korea, said Tuesday it has patented technology to install fingerprint sensors under smartphone display panels, increasing options for smartphone-makers.

The announcement came a few days after reports that Apple had filed a patent for technology to move its fingerprint sensors from the home button of its products to underneath the touch screen.

The Korean tech firm said it had filed a patent in 2012 and registration was completed recently.

The new technology differs from the current swipe-type fingerprint scanners deployed on Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones or the area-type sensors on Apple’s iPhones.

Touch screens embedded with fingerprint sensors will allow users to authenticate their identity by simply touching the smartphone display.

“The technology, which removes the necessity of hardware buttons for fingerprint authentication, will allow more leeway for smartphone manufacturers in product design,” a CrucialTec official said.

The firm has spent years developing the latest biometric modules, conducting trials for the technology.

The company has supplied area-type fingerprint scanners to global smartphone-makers including Huawei and OPPO.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)