Juniper Research: Facial Recognition Hardware to Feature on over 800m Mobiles by 2024, but Software Will Win Out

A new report from Juniper
Research found that facial recognition hardware, such as Face ID
on recent iPhones, will be the fastest growing form of smartphone
biometric hardware. This means it will reach over 800 million in 2024,
compared to an estimated 96 million in 2019.

The new research, Mobile
Payment Authentication: Biometrics, Regulation & Forecasts 2019-2024,
however notes that the majority of smartphone facial recognition will be
software-based, with over 1.3 billion devices having that capability by
2024. This is made possible by advances in AI, with companies like
iProov and Mastercard offering facial recognition authentication that is
strong enough to be used for payment and other high-end authentication
tasks. Juniper Research recommends that all vendors embrace AI to drive
further developments of capabilities and therefore increase customer
acquisition.

For more insights, download our free whitepaper, The
Impact of Regulation on Securing Mobile Payments.

Fingerprints to Lead Remote Commerce Authentication

The research also found that despite the ubiquitous nature of selfie
cameras, fingerprint hardware will remain a dominant element in
biometric payments, as sensors expand to emerging markets. Juniper
Research anticipates over 4.6 billion smartphones worldwide will have
fingerprint sensors installed by 2024, although their usage for payment
will be significantly lower than this.

This expansion of biometric capabilities will bring the technology to
more eCommerce platforms, as retailers seek to meet enhanced security
requirements. Originally envisioned for contactless payment use, the
report expects over 60% of biometrically-authenticated payments in 2024
will be for authorising remote payments. As the longest running
biometric modality, fingerprint payments will take the lead in this
market as standards coalesce around the technology more easily than for
facial recognition payments.

“Many consumers are now used to making fingerprint-based biometric
payments, both for contactless and remote payments,” remarked research
author James Moar. “That familiarity and continued inclusion in
smartphones will make it hard to displace in many markets.”

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global
hi-tech communications sector; providing consultancy, analyst reports
and industry commentary.

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