Tag: mobile technology

Ear scanning mobile security technology patented by Amazon

| June 19, 2015

This would allow a person to hold a smartphone up to the side of the face to unlock it.

Amazon has now received a new mobile security patent that would make it possible for smartphone users to unlock their devices simply by holding them up in order to scan the shape of their ears.

The patent is for a type of technology that will allow the device to scan the ear through the camera.

The concept of the ear scanning mobile security is not unlike that of a fingerprint scanner. It uses the device’s front facing camera to scan the person’s ear and then conduct a comparison to an image of the owner’s ear that has already been placed on file. The fact is that an individual’s ear is just as unique as his or her fingerprint, which means that aside from the case of identical twins, this can be a method that is just as secure as fingerprint scanning. The exception is in the case of identical twins because they may have the same ears, but their fingerprints differ.

This new mobile security technology would also make it possible to perform a number of other tasks, as well.

Mobile Security Technology - Ear ScanFor example, the ability to scan for a person’s ear can also make it possible for a device to adjust its speaker volume, based on how close it is to the individual. By being able to recognize that it is getting closer or farther away from a person’s ear, it becomes possible to make the speaker volume louder or more quiet as appropriate.

Amazon hasn’t yet stated whether or not it has any intentions to use the new ear scanning patent within any of its upcoming devices, such as the next generation of its Fire smartphone. That said, it is also not known exactly how helpful this mobile technology will be to a user as the majority of devices will allow someone to answer an incoming call without having to unlock it. Speaking on the device is the only behavior that actually requires it to be held up to the ear, which means that in most other cases, it is just as easy to use a fingerprint scan for the purpose of unlocking the device.

It will be interesting to find out what Amazon has up its sleeve for this mobile security feature, as the company has always been an innovator in technology.

The next iPhone may be manufactured in India

| June 18, 2015

Ahead of the launch of the next generation Apple smartphone, it may be headed to a new country.

The latest iPhone rumors have all been turning heads toward Asia, as it looks as though Foxconn Technologies (one of the most important strategic manufacturing and production partners companies that Apple has) may be changing the location of its mobile device production work.

Foxconn is a company that is based in Taiwan, and it reportedly sees this as a vital move to boost output.

Many predictions have shown that there will be an unprecedented growth in demand for the next iPhone, and Foxconn intends to be prepared for the production requirements that will come with that demand by moving its production to India. It believes that it will be able to achieve a notably higher output level if it works from that country as opposed to its current location.

Government officials have also stated that Foxconn is in talks to move the iPhone manufacturing to India.

iPhone could be made in IndiaAnother potential benefit of this manufacturing move is that it is believed that producing the Apple smartphones in India will make it possible for the prices to be reduced within the third largest smartphone market in the world.

India has more than 1 billion people making up its population and yet Apple is struggling to compete with the mobile devices of Samsung Electronics and other more local manufacturers, particularly because of the associated price tag. This move to India could make iPhones notably cheaper for people living in that country.

A Reuters report also pointed out that by creating an iPhone manufacturing workforce in India, it may be possible for Foxconn to control the impact that it is experiencing with regards to the massive wage inflation that is currently occurring in China. This has been causing the manufacturing opportunity in China to become a situation that has a rising amount of risk and is one that many companies are now making a strategic effort to avoid. India has been providing a considerable alternative for businesses that are seeking a similar opportunity with a lower risk associated with wage inflation.