Samsung Mocks iPhone X Notch and Lack of Fingerprint Sensor at Galaxy S9 Launch Event

BY Gautam Prabhu

Published 25 Feb 2018

Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung doesn’t leave an opportunity to take a dig at Apple, so it wasn’t surprising that at the launch of its flagship devices, Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, the company mocked the iPhone X.

At the Unpacked event in MWC 2018, Samsung took a dig at iPhone X controversial notch display and the lack of Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

While talking about the Uninterrupted Display, Samsung’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, Justin Denison was quick to point out that the immersive end-to-end Infinity display does not have a notch (like the iPhone X).

When we released the Infinity Display, most people had never seen anything like it. Its ground breaking design offered more screen in less space, and quickly set a new industry standard.

With the S9, we’ve built on this foundation, taking the same immersive end-to-end display, and refining it even further. We’ve created a design so sleek and unified, you can hardly tell where the screen ends.

And as always, you know, there’s no notch.

Denison then goes on to point out the fingerprint scanner is the most popular ways of unlocking phones, so they didn’t get rid of it, again taking the dig at iPhone X for the lack of Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

We have also refined the back of the phone. It is as beautiful as the front. Take the fingerprint scanner for example, which we all know is one of the most popular ways we like to unlock our phones. Which is why we didn’t get rid of it. Instead, we listened carefully to your feedback and we moved the fingerprint scanner directly below the camera where it is even easier to reach naturally.

In the case of Galaxy S8, the fingerprint scanner was to the right of the camera, which was a very awkward position.

I am not a big fan of the iPhone X notch, so it isn’t surprising to see Samsung take a dig at it. However, one could argue that Samsung hasn’t got rid of the fingerprint sensor is because they haven’t been able to offer a facial recognition feature that is as secure as Face ID. Face ID has its limitations and annoyances, but it is a lot more natural and frictionless way of unlocking your device. I was comfortable using Face ID very quickly, and haven’t missed Touch ID.

Check out the clip from Samsung’s Unpacked event where Samsung mocks iPhone X and let me know what you think in the comments: