Known for ripping off Apple in the past, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has beaten Cupertino in bringing to market a futuristic ultrasonic fingerprint sensor reported to be the same one Apple plans to use for the iPhone 8.

In its new Mi 5s and Mi 5s Plus handsets, Xiaomi debuts a new “ultrasonic fingerprint sensor,” which promises to be more accurate than current fingerprint sensors. Check out a video of it in action below.

The idea of an ultrasonic sensor is that it can provide more accurate fingerprint sensors, which should mean an end to scenarios like failing to unlock a smartphone because your fingers are dirty or wet — although we’ll have to try it out for ourselves to see how well it works.

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In addition to the futuristic Touch ID-style sensor, Xiaomi’s new smartphones also boast an improved camera and faster processors, as well as a price point considerably lower than the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which should make them a big hit in China.

Still, while Xiaomi may technically have beaten Apple to the punch, Apple’s futuristic Touch ID could turn out to be more impressive overall. As explained in a patent filed by Apple last year, Apple hopes to utilize finger biometric sensing pixels which could be embedded into the smartphone display itself.

If it truly is far more advanced than Apple’s Touch ID, however, this would certainly be an impressive advance for a low-cost Chinese OEM that hasn’t always been known for its innovation.

Via: The Verge