Most every major PC manufacturer is integrating fingerprint security into its systems now according to a research report, and that’s creating a boom market in fingerprint sensors; according to Frost & Sullivan, the sensors market was worth 113.6 million in 2006, and it should reach $1.9 billion in 2013. (Note to readers: always take multi-year projections with a grain of salt.)
Enterprise-class laptops from Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), Dell (DELL) and other major computer makers increasingly include fingerprint swipe capabilities built next to the keyboard. Fingerprint readers are increasingly available in peripherals, too. The Microsoft (MSFT) mouse above integrates a fingerprint reader, as do offerings from Logitech (LOGI).
What’s next? Possibly business from the likes of Nokia (NOK) and Motorola (MOT). According to Frost & Sullivan:
“This exceptional growth in the silicon fingerprint market is primarily due to the growing popularity of biometric-enabled laptops and PC peripherals,” says Frost and Sullivan Research Analyst Imran F Khan. “Also, increasing security concerns drive manufacturers from vertical markets toward a relatively safe and convenient security solution such as silicon fingerprint sensors.”
Cell phone manufacturers in particular have recently expressed interest in silicon chip fingerprint sensors due to their small size and low power consumption, which make it an ideal security solution for portable and battery-operated devices. The growing popularity of silicon fingerprint-enabled laptops and cell phones will also likely fuel adoption of silicon sensors in door access, automobiles, and ATMs.
