With Apple having already added fingerprint recognition technology to its new iPhone 5S and HTC to be set to announce the 'One Max', which will also feature a fingerprint sensor, Samsung is also expected to follow up with a derivative model of Galaxy Note 3. Korean Electronic Times Online reports that Samsung is considering finishing development of the fingerprint recognition system by the end of this year, and adopting fingerprint recognition in the next smartphone model to be released at the end of the year, citing "industry insiders".

The report added that Samsung's existing component suppliers such as CrucialTec and Parton have participated in the development of the fingerprint recognition module.

Originally, Samsung Electronics planned to adopt the fingerprint recognition function at the same time as the launch of the Galaxy Note 3. But as the US Validity Chip, the developer of the fingerprint recognition sensor, freportedly failed to pass the reliability test.

Samsung has lost the first-mover?s advantage as Apple has first adopted the fingerprint recognition technology on its phone, despite the reported security vulnerabilities.

Apple decided to put the fingerprint recognition function in the home button of the iPhone 5S, whereas Pantech has put this function on the rear side. These leaves not many choices for Samsung to differentiate its products from those of competitors in terms of user interface (UI). Placing the fingerprint sensor on the side of a device is not technologically easy because of the size of the finger.