SIG and O-film will share fingerprint sensor controls on sale for Galaxy S10, sources said

Taiwan-based General Interface Solution (GIS) and China's O-film Tech will likely share Samsung Electronics' ultrasonic fingerprint sensor controls for its flagship Galaxy S10 lineup, which is scheduled for launch in early 2019, according to industry sources.

While Samsung is expected to unveil its Galaxy S10 family products at the upcoming Mobile World Congress (MWC) in late February 2019, the flagship model supply chain is expected to begin responding to orders in January, the same sources said.

The Galaxy S10 range is expected to feature two OLED variants of 6.1 and 6.4 inch sizes, according to industry estimates.

While SIG and O-film have both collaborated with Qualcomm to develop an ultrasonic display fingerprint sensor technology, the GIS has the advantage of having a high output in production and O-film is solid for its large production capacity at a lower production cost, indicated the sources.

GIS and O-film will deploy efforts to gain more orders from Samsung if the Korea-based provider decided to expand the use of fingerprint technology to ultrasound screen at its Galaxy Note range, commented on the sources.

In addition to competing for Samsung's orders, O-film is also competing with GIS and TPK Holding for Apple's touchpad controls for its iPad lineup, the sources said.

O-film, which managed to make its entry into the supply chain of the iPad in 2017 with the supply of touch sensors for the iPad mini, also began shipping touch modules for the 9.7-inch iPad products in 2018, threatening the primary supplier status enjoyed by GIS. TPK.

For the full year 2018, GISs should record 50% of all touch module orders intended for Apple's iPad lineup, including iPads 9 , 7 and 12.9 inches and iPad Pro 10.5 inches. TPK and O-film will share the remaining 50%, according to sources.

GIS and O-film compete for Samsung's integrated fingerprint sensor controls
Photo: Shihmin Fu, Digitimes, November 2018