Fingerprint tech could replace smartphone passwords

Apple is said to be planning to introduce an iPhone that can be unlocked by the owner's fingerprint.

Speculation about Apple's plans for fingerprint recognition began last summer when the iPhone maker bought biometric security firm AuthenTec for £235 million, The Telepgraph reported.

Earlier this month, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said his firm expected the results of that takeover to be revealed this summer with the new iPhone 5S.

He said: "We expect [that] iPhone 5S will have a fingerprint chip under the Home button, improving security and usability."

Samsung has had a "Face Unlock" feature in its phones since last year's Galaxy S3. However, the phone's camera would often unlock if it recognised a photograph of the owner. The firm has said the feature has been improved in the Galaxy S4, released in New York last week.

The Galaxy S4, like Apple's iPhone, has voice recognition software but at present it cannot identify a particular person. In future, it's possible that a smartphone could recognise its owner's voice and unlock accordingly.