NEXT Biometrics Receives $2.2 Million Order From Indian OEM

NEXT Biometrics is looking to strengthen its position in India. The company has entered into a new partnership with one of the country’s fastest growing original equipment manufacturers (OEM), and that OEM has already placed an initial purchase order for FAP 20 fingerprint sensors that is worth $2.2 million USD.

NEXT did not disclose the identity of its new partner, but did reveal that it would begin filling the order in the next few months. The first sensors (roughly 10 percent of the total order) will be delivered before the end of April, while the remainder will ship in the second half of the year into the first half of 2023. However, completion of the deal is conditional, and assumes that the OEM devices that feature NEXT’s sensors are able to clear UIDAI’s Aadhaar certification tests.

Assuming that everything goes well, the arrangement should boost NEXT’s prospects in India moving forward. The OEM will provide other manufacturers with the support and expertise they need to get their own devices certified with NEXT FAP 20 technology.

The Aadhaar certification testing process is expected to begin in the second quarter of the year. The first batch of fingerprint sensors would presumably be deployed in devices that will be put together for those evaluations.

“This Indian OEM is one of the fastest growing local authentication OEMs in the world’s largest biometric market,” said NEXT CEO Peter Heuman. “With this agreement, NEXT accelerates execution of our updated Go-To-Market strategy for India. With their strong local presence and biometric expertise, sales of NEXT FAP 20 fingerprint sensors have potential to increase our market share in a more cost effective way.”

NEXT sensors have appeared in Aadhaar-approved devices in the past. The company has enjoyed particular success in the payments industry, and has provided sensors for Point-of-Sale terminals from Pagaria and MobiOcean, amongst several others. The company’s sensors have also been used in Indian government initiatives.

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February 3, 2022 – by Eric Weiss