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Nearly half of people aged 16 to 24 foresee the end of passwords and pin numbers by 2020 as biometric security takes over, according to research by Visa. The research of 2,000 people revealed that 69 percent of respondents aged between 16 and 24 - dubbed 'Generation Z' - believe it will be easier and faster to use biometric identification than remembering passwords and pin numbers. This age group is also keen to adopt biometric security. Some 76 percent feel comfortable with the concept of making payments using biometric data. Jonathan Vaux, executive director at Visa Europe, told V3 that the use of biometric authentication in smartphones as seen in Apple's latest iPhones will help drive demand for the technology. "Fingerprint biometrics in particular are entering the mainstream as a security measure, with the likes of Apple and Samsung relying on biometric security to enter their phones, and more recently the launch of Touch ID and Apple Pay," he said. Generation Z also favours fingerprint scanning over other forms of biometric identification, the research revealed. Nearly 70 percent expressed a desire to use fingerprints rather than passwords, while 39 percent favour retina scans and 27 percent favour face recognition. Vaux explained that biometrics technology will continue to evolve, offering more secure identification by scanning vein patterns in fingers rather than fingerprint systems which can be hacked. This evolution of biometrics and increased demand from consumers will break down the scepticism and criticism that some consumers show for the technology. "We mustn't discount biometrics as a viable form of security. When passwords were first introduced consumers needed to be educated on how to be safe and secure when using them," said Vaux. However, Vaux does not believe that passwords will disappear completely, but will become a secondary layer of security to further reduce the risk of fraud. "There are some concerns surrounding biometric security measures, such as whether fingerprints can be reproduced. Biometric security could be coupled with password or Pin authentication to maintain higher levels of security," he said. "In the future there may not be one security measure, but a combination of several - the biometric equivalent of two-step authentication." Biometric security is undoubtedly becoming more widespread. Apple added its TouchID fingerprint scanner to the latest range of iPads and iPhones, and Barclays has introduced a tool that scans the vein patterns in a finger. Source