Galaxy S9 Intelligent Scan favors unlocking ease over security

An in-depth look at Samsung's new biometrics verification system -- and how it stacks up against the iPhone X’s Face ID -- shows it's not quite safe enough for mobile payments. Unlocking the Galaxy S9 might be faster -- but that doesn't mean it's more secure. Samsung's newest smartphones, the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus, include a new feature the company calls Intelligent Scan. The technology combines Samsung's secure iris scanner with its less-secure facial recognition unlock technology. "Intelligent Scan adapts to your needs, combining the intelligence of iris scanning and face recognition to make it even easier for you to unlock your phone in more situations," Justin Denison, Samsung's senior vice president of product marketing, said Sunday at Samsung's Unpacked event at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona.