Earlier this week, the guys at SamMobile published a leaked Galaxy S III firmware that had Android 4.2.2 on-board. Someone by the online handle “Kalagas” went through the file and found quite a number of icons suggesting that Samsung is working on integrating fingerprint reader technology into a future Galaxy product.

Why would Samsung do this? Let me just come out and say it: Samsung loves to copy Apple. I’m sure when the South Korean handset maker heard rumors that the next iPhone was going to have a fingerprint reader under the home-key, an army of engineers were given commands to bring that same technology to the Galaxy portfolio. I know that makes Samsung sound like a copy cat, but come on, everyone knows they are. (fooplugins.com) Disclosure: I own a Note II, so I think I’m allowed to make fun of the company.

So what does one do with a fingerprint reader? I can think of a few things off the top of my head. Swipe my thumb to unlock, remember all my stupid long passwords, protect certain applications from opening, protect my gallery, and so on and so forth.