Announced at Samsung Unpacked in August, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 brought to the world the most robust version of folding phones, jam-packed with features. And as we know, the Korean OEM has never shied away from trying new things out, especially in the case of biometrics with an Iris Scanner on the Note 7 and an Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor on its recent flagships. So, what type of authentication method does the Galaxy Z Fold 3 employ? Does it use a fingerprint sensor or something different?

To unlock the Galaxy Z Fold 3, users need to use a fingerprint sensor embedded into the power button. The position of this component makes it convenient to use when the phone is folded or unfolded, provided you've gotten through the awkward setup procedure, which can only be triggered when the inner screen is in use.

An alternative to this is Android's Face Unlock feature, which also functions well, albeit dimly lit situations could make it hard to get into your phone. As IR Blasters, like those in Apple's Face ID set up, aren't present.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the foldable to get if you want the most robust experience offered on the market. It packages a large screen along with the Snapdragon 888 to ensure getting your tasks done is a breeze.

Now, the Z Fold 3 is not the only device announced at this year's Samsung Unpacked that features a fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, as the $999 Z Flip 3 uses similar hardware. While the changes to large foldable can be termed nominal and refinement of the Z Fold 2, the Z Flip 3 underwent a significant overhaul on the front, with quality of life improvements made to the inner screen and internals.

To learn more about the small foldable, we recommend you check out our one-month review of it to understand why it could be a device worth considering, especially if foldables have piqued your interest. Also, if you're picking up a foldable this year, make sure to check out our case guides for both the Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3, along with our compilation of the deals for the Fold and Flip.