HP Elite X3 Windows 10 Mobile Phone Breaks Cover At Computex With Fingerprint Reader

Hewlett-Packard officially announced its monstrous Elite X3 phablet back in February, well ahead of expected summer launch date. That long gap between announcement and release was both a curse and blessing — eager Windows Phone fans that wanted to get their hands on the device had to wait months to purchase it, but it also gave HP more time to make some tweaks and add features to the smartphone.

We’re happy to inform you that it appears that the production version of the Elite X3 will now come with a rear-mounted fingerprint reader, making it the first Windows 10 Mobile device to come from the factory with the biometric security feature. Interestingly enough, Microsoft just recently announced that Windows 10 Mobile would receive support for fingerprint readers via the upcoming Anniversary Update, which is due this summer. This just so happens to coincide with the launch of the Elite X3.

HP Elite X3 with fingerprint reader below the camera (Image Source: WinFuture)

The fingerprint reader is simply the icing on the cake for a flagship device that is already dripping with incredible specs:

• 5.96-inch WQHD AMOLED display
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor
• 4GB RAM
• 64GB internal storage
• microSD slot that supports up to 2TB
• 16MP main camera, 8MP front camera, Iris camera
• 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, LTE-A, NFC
• 4150 mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 support
• USB-C

The Elite X3 will also be available with a couple of accessories that enhance functionality like the Desk Dock, which supports Windows 10 Continuum and the Mobile Extender, which is basically a “dumb” 2.2-pound notebook that that requires the Elite X3 to function. The Mobile Extender also uses Continuum to provide you with more workspace (via a 12.5-inch display) and a full-size keyboard in a mobile form-factor.

Original Elite X3 renders

Smartphones like the HP Elite X3 are what the Windows Phone platform needs to generate some excite and buzz for Microsoft’s also-ran smartphone operating system. According to the latest data from Kantar, Windows Phone’s market share in the United States dwindled to a mere 2.7 percent in Q1. And in Europe, where Windows Phone has always had a strong following, its share halved from 10 percent to 5 percent year-over-year.