{"id":412036,"date":"2026-05-04T23:59:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T23:59:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/412036\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T23:59:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T23:59:16","slug":"this-cool-under-display-face-unlock-tech-could-come-to-android","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/412036\/","title":{"rendered":"This cool under-display face unlock tech could come to Android"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Right as it\u2019s been revealed that Google\u2019s upcoming Pixel 11 probably won\u2019t have new face unlock hardware, a new name is showing off some impressive under-display face unlock tech that could start showing up in Android devices as soon as next year.<\/p>\n

Detailed in a report from Wired<\/a>, a company called Metalenz is revealing its new \u201cPolar ID\u201d system that effectively makes iPhone-style face unlock hardware invisible. It does that by hiding most the hardware underneath an OLED display.<\/p>\n

This new technology uses a flat lens system that takes up a fraction of the space of existing face unlock setups found in the iPhone and some other devices. It relies on optical metasurfaces technology, which uses a single lens with nanostructures to bend light towards the sensors used for face unlock. Metalenz has built out this technology to also capture polarization data, which can tell how light bounces off of specific surfaces. Combined, these make up the foundation of \u201cPolar ID,\u201d which works a lot like Apple\u2019s Face ID, just without needing a big cutout in the display. That polarization data is important here, as Metalenz notes that the data from an actual human face would be different from say, a silicon 3D mask. <\/p>\n

Metalenz struck a deal with Qualcomm over this tech a few years ago and, now, it\u2019s ready to hit the market.<\/p>\n

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\u201cPolar ID\u201d is set to start showing up in smartphones and laptops in 2027, with under-display tech \u201clikely\u201d pushed to a 2028 debut. The Wired report notes that, unlike Google\u2019s existing camera-based face unlock system on Pixels, this works in the dark. The under-display tech isn\u2019t all that different from under-display cameras, but the biggest difference is that the polarization data isn\u2019t bothered by the loss in quality that was noticeable in under-display selfie cameras on Samsung\u2019s Galaxy Z Fold devices, for example. In a demo, there\u2019s a minimal difference in data collection when the \u201cPolar ID\u201d hardware is hidden under an OLED display.<\/p>\n

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The only difference required in the actual display is a \u201cthinned out\u201d section.<\/p>\n

Google has reportedly been working on under-display face unlock tech for a while now, with \u201cProject Toscana\u201d<\/a> originally having been expected to launch in the Pixel 11 later this year. But, with ironic timing, a report from earlier today revealed that the Pixel 11 series will not have this hardware<\/a> ready this year. It\u2019s unclear if Google\u2019s tech has anything to do with Metalenz, but it was previously mentioned to be using IR hardware<\/a> in some capacity.<\/p>\n

Whatever happens with Google\u2019s tech in future Pixels, it\u2019s rather exciting to see that there\u2019s an option out in the wild that could show up on other Android phones. <\/p>\n

More on Android:<\/p>\n

Follow Ben:\u00a0Twitter\/X<\/a>,\u00a0Threads<\/a>, Bluesky<\/a>, and\u00a0Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

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