Why do S7's screen lock have to have a pin associated with biometrics

[Android Central Question]

I recently set multiple finger prints as the screen unlock key on my S7. The finger print works very well to unlock the screen, all four of them. However I can still circumvent the use of my fingerprint by entering the four digit pin which I was forced to setup when registering my finger prints.

This has got to be a toy of an idea surely ? I mean why even bother with the fingerprint to unlock your screen if it can be circumvented by entering a PIN,,,, ??

Don't tell me it's backup incase I have a cut finger or that some stranger or family member can still get access to my phone without my fingers,,, all four of them,,, this really makes biometrics as a security feature useless on the S7's.

I'll now check my other family member's S9 and S10's to see if its the same.

 

[belodion]

But it is a backup. If for any reason you were unable to use the fingerprint method, how else could you enter the phone?

If others know the PIN, they can of course go straight into the phone. Make sure that they don’t know it, therefore.

 

[hallux]

You'll also note that some settings can't be changed without PIN verification (including a device reset), and when the device is rebooted it requires the PIN the first time in order to unlock the device encryption and allow it to be used.

There are also some recent legal cases that have found that someone in the custody of police CAN be compelled to unlock their device with their fingerprint as this is not found to be interrogating them for knowledge only they have, while asking them for the unlock code IS, and some devices have a safety lock feature that locks the device and requires the PIN rather than fingerprint in order to be unlocked the next time.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Remember also that as long as you don't pick a PIN that is easy to guess (like your birthday), it's going to be more secure than your fingerprint. There are 10,000 possible PIN combinations for a 4 digit PIN, and a million possible combinations for a 6 digit PIN, and most phones won't let someone try to brute-force it. On the other hand, fingerprint sensors can be fooled.

Please register on this forum, which will allow you to engage in discussion more easily, as well as post images. https://forums.androidcentral.com/ask-question/409154-join-android-central-community.html

 

[L0n3N1nja]

PIN is actually more secure and it is a back up, what if the finger print sensor on the phone fails? I've seen it happen lol.

Every Samsung I've owned since the Note 4 with a finger print scanner has required a pin, I think Android in general does.

 

[mustang7757]

But it is a backup. If for any reason you were unable to use the fingerprint method, how else could you enter the phone?

If others know the PIN, they can of course go straight into the phone. Make sure that they don’t know it, therefore.

Agree