T440s can't be started with fingerprint? [ Edited ]

[Jakoob]

Hi guys,

can anyone confirm that in case of new ThinkPads the fingerprint sensor can't be used to authenticate at power on?

Looks bit strange to me, that Lenovo will remove this function.

Link to picture

Moderator note; picture(s) totalling >50K converted to link(s) Forum Rules

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

Not surprising Au-thentic was brought out by Apple and they cease to sell their products to PC companies.

[Jakoob]

But Authentec was taken few years ago and yet Lenovo (claimed to be the biggest PC producer) couldn't prepare their own solution?

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

Patent! You can't just go out and do your own things, when other companies hold their patent to such technology.

[someotherguy]

I can confirm it.  With the upcoming generation of ThinkPads (T440, X240, etc), the fingerprint cannot be used to turn the PC on.  You can still use the fingerprint to replace BIOS/HDD passwords, but you cannot use it to turn the PC on as with previous ThinkPads.

[Jakoob]

---

lead_org wrote:
Patent!  

---

Oh true, I forgot that it is Apple, who bought authentec :-( Anyway, what can be the price per laptop to enable such feature? 5 dolars?

[someotherguy]

It actually has nothing to do with patents.  It's just that old supplier (AuthenTec) does not sell PC fingerprint readers anymore and new supplier (Validity) does not currently have this feature.

[Jakoob]

And is it software or hardware feature in case of Validity senzor? I mean possibility, that it will be added later by software upgrade..

[someotherguy · Accepted solution]

There's no possibility this feature will be added later by software upgrade.  It is hardware feature that T440s does not have and never will have.

[Jakoob]

Ok thanks for clarifying, I would take it as new ThinkPads Series 40 will not have power on FP authentication.