Samsung says glasses and contact lenses (particularly colored ones) can get in the way at times, but we weren't wearing either when the scanner experienced issues during our brief testing.Īlthough, in theory, the scanner is a novel way to keep phones locked, you'll still need to use your fingers to get to the iris scanner from the lock screen - at which point, you could easily type in a passcode or use the fingerprint reader instead. (Don't worry, you won't be surprised with a flash of light.) The data collected from the scan is saved and encrypted on the phone, and you can opt to unlock your phone or a specific app that way moving forward. You'll want to hold it about a foot away from your face, and the phone will show how to line it up your eyes. So how does it work? Samsung has added a new infrared camera that scans your eyes using infrared light emitted from the LED on the front of the phone. Fujitsu, Alcatel and Chinese manufacturer ZTE already make phones with similar technology.
The iris scanner is probably the most buzzed-about feature to land on the Note 7, but Samsung isn't the first to use it as a biometric security.
Can another plus-sized smartphone stand out in an extremely saturated market? Let's take a closer look at what you can expect: It comes in four flavors, too: black, gold, silver and blue coral.ĬNNMoney got an early look at the Note 7 ahead of the announcement. It also comes with a waterproof stylus, a built-in program to make GIFs and a series of features which make the device super secure. My advice? Take some time and go through the available apps and their respective actions to learn which ones you want to use.But under the hood, the Note 7 includes several unique features such as an iris scanner, which allows users to unlock the phone with their eyes. Press the button again to act as a remote shutter and snap a photo. That could be going back a page in Chrome, or going back a screen in an app.īy default, if you long-press the S Pen's button, the Camera app will open. The gestures look and feel a lot like you're casting a spell at Hogwarts.įor instance, if you hold in the button on the pen and act as if you're writing a "less than" sign in the air, you'll trigger the S23 Ultra's back action. On that page you'll see a list of movements you'll need to make with the S Pen while holding in the side button. The easiest way to get a handle on Air Actions is to go into the Settings app on your S23 Ultra, then go to Advanced features > S Pen and select Air actions. It can also be used as a remote control of sorts to trigger different actions and features on your S23 Ultra from across the room. The S Pen isn't only for touching and swiping across your S23 Ultra's screen. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping.