The Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with a fingerprint scanner. This feature not only protect the phone from being used by outsiders, but can also be used to verify and authorize PayPal payments. Now according to a report from Dutch website Android Planet, they claim that the National Police in Holland are considering using the feature for law enforcement purposes.
They claim that the police have ordered about 35,000 units of the Galaxy S5 to replace their current devices, which at the moment are still BlackBerry handsets. However instead of merely using the sensor to scan their own fingerprints and unlock the phone, there will be a custom app developed that will allow them to use the scanner to scan the prints of other people and identify them via the app.
The app will also be used to help serve fines to people who have committed offences, as well as the ability to scan both documents and badges. Neither Samsung nor the Holland National Police have confirmed the rumor, but assuming that this is the case, it will probably be until 2015 that police personnel will be able to get their hands on the phone.
It’s an interesting use of technology and one that we’re not sure has been thought of before, or used in the mainstream. While Apple’s iPhone 5s comes with a fingerprint scanner of its own, Apple has closed off the Touch ID SDK to outsiders, presumably for security purposes. Recently we’ve also heard how police in Dubai are trialing the use of Google Glass during their day-to-day operations.
