NIMASO Trivia: Is it really not recommended to use privacy film on your smartphone?

NIMASO official Twitter account According to a survey, the first thing people put on a new smartphone is a privacy screen protector, which is the least popular option. NIMASO found that only a few people use privacy screen protectors, especially on trains and in the city. NIMASO believes that very few people continue to use privacy screen protectors.

Check out the popularity trends of privacy films in December 2023 →

Compared to other smartphone glass films, using an anti-spy film can significantly reduce the color saturation and image quality, and there are concerns that it may affect functions such as fingerprint authentication and 2D barcode reading.

Using a privacy screen protector can prevent important personal information from being leaked, but does it have any effect when paying with a QR code at a convenience store or restaurant, or when unlocking your smartphone?

When you actually scan a 2D barcode, the app automatically adjusts the brightness of your smartphone screen, without significantly affecting your use at that moment.

However, when unlocking your phone with fingerprint authentication, there are several situations depending on the type of fingerprint authentication technology your phone uses.

There are three main types of fingerprint authentication technology: capacitive, optical, and ultrasonic.

In fact, when you apply a privacy film, the only thing that affects use is the "optical" type. (The fingerprint authentication technology used in iPhones is "capacitive," so there is no need to worry about this. "Capacitive" authentication technology involves electrodes reacting to the unevenness of a fingerprint that touches the sensor, measuring (mapping) the movement of charge to confirm a match with the sample fingerprint information.)

"Optical" is a popular fingerprint unlocking technology today. Compared to "capacitive," this fingerprint authentication technology is a major breakthrough, as the fingerprint moves below the screen, saving space on your phone. The principle is very simple, primarily using the reflection and refraction of light. When you press your finger on the screen, the screen emits a bright light to illuminate the fingerprint, which is then reflected and refracted to the sensor below the screen, achieving fingerprint unlocking.

As an anti-spy film, we would like you to first understand the principles behind why it affects the use of smartphones that use ``optical'' fingerprint authentication technology.

The privacy film uses fine micro louvers to control the direction of light emission so that it is directed only from the front, preventing people from looking at the screen from the left or right (it allows light to pass through within a certain range and blocks light in other directions). At the same time, it also blocks external light from entering, so the screen can be clearly seen from a frontal angle.

It is also difficult to unlock a fingerprint lock with wet hands, and fingerprint unlocking of a mobile phone may fail after applying a privacy screen protector. Both of these problems are caused by light refraction. When a fingerprint passes through water or a screen protector, the refraction of light worsens, inevitably resulting in malfunction.

In other words, the privacy screen protector not only reduces the light from the smartphone screen, but also reduces the light from fingerprints on the screen. Before purchasing a smartphone screen protector, please choose the appropriate product according to your needs.

When you're fiddling with your smartphone on a crowded morning commuter train, you can't help but feel self-conscious about the eyes of those around you.

Smartphones often display a variety of information, such as messages with family, entertainment news that interests you, and passwords when logging into your social media accounts. Considering the risk of information leaks, one countermeasure would be to apply a privacy screen protector.

In this case, we recommend NIMASO glass film .

NIMASO privacy screen protector uses the world's unique patented ultra-fine shutter optical technology, which ensures that the information displayed on the screen is only for the front viewer to read, while those viewing from both sides can only see a black screen, effectively protecting personal privacy.

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