Metalenz unveils under-display face authentication for Android using metasurfaces and polarized light to maintain security under active OLED screens.
A face unlock idea that removes punch-holes and notches while still aiming for strong security just moved closer to real-world Android phones.
Misryoum reports that Metalenz, a Boston-based optics startup, showcased Polar ID Under Display at Display Week in Los Angeles. The pitch is simple: authenticate a user’s face beneath a fully active OLED screen, without cutting out the display for a camera module.
What makes Polar ID Under Display stand out is the underlying approach.. Instead of relying on traditional camera-style sensing through the screen, the system uses metasurfaces to read polarized light.. Misryoum says this helps preserve the authentication signal even when the display is on. which is a key challenge for under-display designs.
There’s also the security angle. Misryoum notes the company designed Polar ID with spoof resistance in mind, and the demo is framed around being secure enough for payment-style use cases.
Meanwhile, this is where the comparison with past efforts becomes relevant.. Misryoum points out that Apple has spent years trying to deliver Face ID under its display. without the kind of success that would make it a standard.. At the same time. many Android brands have been hesitant to pursue under-display face unlock. partly because weaker sensing or more complex hardware could increase security risks.
In this context. Misryoum’s coverage suggests Metalenz is betting that a different sensing method can solve both the design and security trade-off.. If it works well across real-world lighting. motion. and screen behaviors. it could make “all-screen” Android phones more practical without forcing compromises in authentication.
The company also demonstrated the technology live using a real phone with the screen active, showing authentication in motion rather than just static proof. Misryoum says that matters because under-display systems only look convincing when they behave reliably outside a controlled setup.
Why it matters: if Polar ID Under Display lives up to its integration and cost goals, the next wave of Android devices could finally treat the display as a full canvas while keeping face authentication strong enough for sensitive actions.