File this under shocker but the newly unveiled flagship Sony Xperia XZ and Xperia X Compact won’t feature a fingerprint reader (built onto the power button) in the US. Now keep in mind that it doesn’t mean the hardware won’t be capable of it – Sony is after all shipping the same device around the world. Instead what it means is that via a firmware update, Sony is opting to remove that functionality.

Of course this isn’t something new for Xperia fans in the US as Sony has removed the ability for the fingerprint reader to function in past devices as well. All we know is that it’s due to a “business decision” though it remains unclear what exactly that means. Many, including yours truly, have speculated that it’s due to some patent but that also doesn’t paint the whole picture as many other phones do ship with similar readers.

Perhaps other manufacturers have chosen to license the patent while for Sony, due to how little volume they do in the US, the cost is simply not worth it. Either way, it’s unfortunate but not unexpected. In the past, some have opted to flash their Xperia phones with firmware from other countries to regain the lost functionality but that can always be a slippery slope.

Discuss:

Is a fingerprint reader a make or break deal for you?