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LGriffin19

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Android Touch & Google API

Related to my question here: https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/29005181/Android-Touch-vs-Touch-ID.html

I understand with Android 6.0 and onwards, Google implemented their own fingerprint scanner service.

Does anyone know if OEM's are required to use this or can still use their own?
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Jackie Man
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Thanks Jackie!

I've been trying to find some links/documents to confirm both items (OEM not forced to use Google service and Samsung use their own) but haven't been able to find. Any ideas?
Android (OS version before 7.0) is essentially an opensource system and it is why there are many different adoptions by different OEMs.

Pass SDK from SAMSUNG
http://developer.samsung.com/galaxy/pass

Android Nougat Compatibility Document reveals pieces of Google’s plan to push OEMs toward a more unified Android
https://9to5google.com/2016/11/08/android-nougat-compatibility-document/
It is just my experience from different Android versions from different OEMs.

Sometimes, one app can be installed in one OEM of the same Android version but is not compatible with another OEM of the same Android version.

In short, same Android version from different OEM does not mean they are the same as Google has no control of the hardware like what Apple is doing. There might be some changes from Android 7.0 onwards, but I do not own any device running the latest version of Android OS.
Thanks...sorry not understansing the difference between Android N (7.0) and prior versions in relation to being Open Source?

How does this affect the finger print scanner?
sorry not understanding the difference between Android N (7.0) and prior versions in relation to being Open Source?

Google Android – Closed Source
https://techpinions.com/google-android-closed-source/47220

Read the article above and you will know more.

Open Source means that each OEM can have its own modifications for the Android OS but there is a trend that users might not prefer to use Google Play Store as there are many cheap Android smartphones produced by OEMs in Mainland China and such OEMs have their own app stores and the revenue model of Google will no longer work if no users buy apps via Google Play Store.
How does this affect the finger print scanner?

The use case for finger print scanner is for making payment and service fees are collected from merchants.

If each OEM has their own Fingerprint API and SDK, Google will no longer be able to collect service fees from merchants.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_payment_systems

In short, staying Open Source stills need to have a revenue model for sustainable development but we are in a commercial world and every software provider will try to make a business model which is a mix of open source system and proprietary system to balance user adoptions and profitabilities.