It"s been almost two years since Microsoft announced details of Windows Hello, its biometric authentication platform, and the first devices to support that functionality went on sale a few months later with Windows 10 onboard. Despite numerous devices across a wide variety of form factors having launched since then with Windows Hello support, the feature remains in beta - but that could change soon.
Microsoft"s Dona Sarkar, head of the Windows Insider Program, has called on Insiders to enable the feature on supported devices and test it out if they haven"t done so already, as the company is now considering whether it"s time for the technology to officially emerge from beta.
Feedback to Dona"s tweet from those using Windows Hello suggests that many believe the technology has come a long way since it first arrived on Windows 10 devices. Others say that their experience isn"t quite perfect, and that there"s still room for improvement, particularly on phones.
Windows Hello is supported in a variety of ways, allowing manufacturers to choose the most appropriate method of authenticating users, based on the type of device that they"re using. For example, Microsoft"s Windows 10 Mobile flagships, the Lumia 950 and 950 XL, include an iris scanner, while the newer HP Elite x3 has the same feature, along with a fingerprint sensor. Microsoft"s newest Surface PCs include facial recognition features for fast password-free logins.
Have you been using Windows Hello on any of your devices? Do you think it"s ready to emerge from beta? Or has your experience of using it been less than perfect? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!