AuthenTec Introduces New Low Power Fingerprint Sensor for the Wireless Market

Business Wire, Feb 7, 2008

New AES1711 Offers an Ultra-Low Power Solution for Today's Fingerprint-Enabled Feature Phones and Smart Phones

MELBOURNE, Fla. -- AuthenTec (NASDAQ:AUTH), the world's leading provider of fingerprint sensors and solutions, today introduced a new, very low power fingerprint sensor for the wireless market, the AES1711. The AES1711 is the latest in a series of fingerprint sensors targeted specifically for the mobile wireless market. AuthenTec is the wireless market leader with more than 8 million sensors shipped for use in 22 production cell phone models brought to market by seven OEMs and widely used by subscribers to six major wireless service providers.

The new AES1711 offers an expanded input/output voltage range (1.8V to 3.3V) and consumes 88 percent less power in finger detect mode than earlier models, while continuing to provide the small form factor packaging required for today's mobile phones, GPS devices and PDAs. It eliminates the many 'clicks to content' by providing users a secure and convenient gateway to an increasing number of services available to mobile phones today -- including the mobile web, secure content and application downloads, gaming, VoIP, camera and e-mail -- with no impact to the normal charging cycle of the phone.

"Our newest sensor for the wireless market combines the best features of our durable and multi-functional AES1710 with significant power advantages necessary for today's increasingly versatile wireless devices," said Art Stewart, AuthenTec VP of Wireless Products. "Our new 1711 sensor offers the power saving and durability needed by mobile device manufacturers, and offers new revenue opportunities to both service providers and OEMs by giving device users quick and secure access to mobile content and applications."

Already designed into new mobile phones that will ship later this year, AuthenTec's AES1711 is ideally suited for external mounting on any mobile phone as well as other mobile devices, including GPS navigation devices and PDAs. Its advanced packaging provides a smooth, durable and aesthetically attractive component for integration in today's most fashionable mobile phones.

The AES1711 enables Power of Touch[TM] features of security, convenience, personalization, and navigation, offering wireless users ten customized application launch "hot keys," secure web launch, and next generation TrueNav([R]) for smooth on-screen menu and contact list navigation. The AES1711 has been specifically designed and optimized to enhance a variety of near field communication (NFC) applications such as mobile payments, allowing users to easily protect a mobile wallet or authorize a payment with the simple slide of a finger, rather than typing PINs, passwords or lengthy security codes.

AuthenTec will be demonstrating several new mobile devices which integrate its award-winning fingerprint sensors at the Company's booth (HS-20 in the 3GSM Gallery) at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from February 11 - 14.

All AuthenTec sensors utilize the Company's patented TruePrint([R]) technology to deliver extremely accurate and reliable fingerprint imaging, thus enhancing both device security convenience and user efficiency. TruePrint is the only solution in production that reads below the surface of the skin to the live layer, where a person's true fingerprint resides. This unique subsurface approach enables AuthenTec sensors to overcome common skin surface conditions to read virtually every fingerprint, every time.

About AuthenTec

With more than 25 million sensors sold worldwide, AuthenTec is the world leader in providing fingerprint authentication sensors and solutions to the high-volume PC, wireless device, and access control markets. AuthenTec's award-winning sensors take full advantage of The Power of Touch[R] by utilizing the Company's patented TruePrint[R] technology to deliver the most convenient, reliable and cost-effective means available for enabling touch-powered features that extend beyond user authentication. The Company's customers include: Acer, ASUSTeK, Fujitsu, HP, Hitachi, HTC, Lenovo, LG Electronics, Samsung, and Toshiba, among others.