Following the leak from Google’s SVP earlier this year, Google added an in-display fingerprint scanner to its latest Pixel 6 flagship series. Being the first-ever in-display fingerprint scanner on a Pixel phone, it is an exciting feature, but several users have complained about the fingerprint recognition being slow and finicky. So, in a recent statement, Google accepted that the fingerprint sensor is slow and blamed “enhanced security algorithms” on the Pixel 6 series as the reason for it.
Now, if you are unaware, Pixel 6 and 6 Pro users have been complaining about the in-display fingerprint scanner on the devices ever since the smartphones were released in the market. Users have complained that the scanner is slow and often requires them to input the PIN to unlock the device.
Similarly, when a Twitter user recently cited the issue by mentioning Google in his tweet, the Mountain View giant replied with a vague explanation. So, according to Google, the Pixel 6 fingerprint sensor “utilizes enhanced security algorithms” to scan users’ fingerprints. As a result, the “added protections can take longer to verify or require more direct contact.” You can check out the tweet right below.
In the end, Google provided a link for a support page that does not really provide a solution for the issue. Instead, it explains how users can use a fingerprint scanner on their Pixel 6 devices, which I am sure most users know by now.
Other Twitteratis suggested that it might be a hardware issue as the Pixel 6 devices use an optical sensor for the in-display fingerprint scanner instead of an ultrasonic sensor, like the one present on the Samsung Galaxy S21. However, Redditors using OnePlus devices that have optical fingerprint scanners report that their scanners work just fine. So, the fingerprint scanner issue on the Pixel 6 series, in theory, should be a software issue.
Now, if you own a Pixel 6 device and are facing the issue, there is pretty much nothing you can do about its as of now. We can only hope Google fixes it with a future software update. Until then, you just have to try to register the fingerprint multiple times or rely on your PIN code to unlock your device.
