LG G6 iris scanner and MST mobile payment rumored again

Industry experts have popped up with another batch of rumors for next year’s LG G6 flagship, again hinting that the phone could come sporting iris scanning and mobile payment technology that is designed to rival Samsung Pay. The theory is that LG needs a blockbuster phone packed full of cutting edge technology to help make up for the 800 billion won ($67 million) loss after the launch of its modular G5 model.

LG Pay has been rumored for a while now, and the latest industry chatterboxes are suggesting that the company has developed its own Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) technology and has dropped its White Card idea. MST technology, which is current used only by Samsung Pay, supports older magnetic credit card machines in addition to modern NFC payment terminals, and would offer LG an advantage over Apple and Android Pay solutions.

“Unlike strong sales in home appliances and television, LG posted historical losses from its mobile communication unit this year. For a rally in shares, the rebound from G6 is important next year.” – Kim Ji-san, analyst at Kiwoom Securities.

About a month ago, LG Innotek announced an all-in-one iris scanning module, but refused to confirm whether or not the module was destined for use in future smartphones. The two-in-one module combines camera and iris scanning technology into a single component, to save on costs and optimize performance. The assumption is that the iris scanning module could be tied in directly with the company’s mobile payment system.

The first smartphone on the market with an iris scanner was the Galaxy Note 7, before it was recalled. The technology will likely reappear in Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S8, but this delay does offer an opportunity for LG to catch up and compete with the industry leader.

There aren’t many rumors floating around about the LG G6’s technical specifications just yet. A next-generation Snapdragon 835 processor and QHD display seems a likely base, and the company is expected to drop its modular concept for the phone, something this report also claims.

What technologies would you like to see packed into the LG G6?