Visa and BioConnect work to enable multiple biometrics on mobile apps

Visa is working with biometric identity platform provider BioConnect to enable multiple methods of biometric authentication through a single mobile app. This means that if the consumer’s default biometric authentication method fails, they can use an alternative biometric method to gain access to their device or service.

Visa“By enabling multiple biometric technologies, an app can prompt for another biometric type when the default method fails,” Visa says. “Imagine you’re heading home from the gym and want to check your account balance on your bank’s mobile app, but your fingers are a bit damp from exercise and the fingerprint sensor can’t get a good read.

“With the Visa/BioConnect technology collaboration, you can use an alternative biometric, such as speaking into your phone’s microphone to authenticate by voice.

‘Elegant alternative’

“Now, imagine that you dropped and broke your phone or simply want to purchase the newest model or change your device type. Getting a new gadget is fun but manually reloading your payment information and login credentials so you can get your new gadget? Not fun.

“Our collaboration introduces an elegant alternative — one that, for example, enables your newly downloaded mobile banking application to identify and authenticate you by using one of your previously enrolled biometrics.

“Because the technology can work across multiple devices, you would simply sign in using the biometric to gain access to your data, without need for a keyboard, password or setup — all possible in the first few moments of unwrapping your new device.”

“With multiple types of biometrics supported by an app, it becomes possible to make the password a thing of the past,” Visa adds.

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