The iris scanner in Samsung's Galaxy Note7 smartphone is a breakthrough in mobile biometric authentication. Unfortunately, it's also not reliable. Samsung’s impressive new Galaxy Note7 smartphone is a genuine tech-spec powerhouse. Across the board, the Note7’s hardware is top of the line. Its large display is glorious, for example. It comes with 64GB of built-in storage — and it supports microSD memory cards. The phone is made with premium materials, such as Corning Gorilla Glass and steel. The Note S Pen stylus has never felt more like a real ballpoint pen. Despite the thin, trim design, the Note7 packs a good-size 3,500-mAh battery. It’s also water resistant and relatively light at just 169g. [ Related: 7 surprises in Samsung’s Galaxy Note7 smartphone ] All this luxury doesn’t come cheap. But, hey, you have to pay if you want the best the world’s leading Android-phone maker has to offer. Samsung In addition to all these bulked-up specs, the Note7 showcases some true innovation in authentication. The new iris camera and dedicated infrared LED let Note7 users unlock their phones with a glimpse at the iris scanner. (Check out Samsung’s website for more specifics on how the Note7 iris scanner works.) I spent the past week with the Note7 and purposefully put the iris scanner through a number of tests. Unfortunately, I found the new biometric authentication feature to be more than a little … finicky. Check out the video above for specifics on why. AS Related content opinion Tom Brady's pricey PJs pack 'recovery tech' for athletes Under Armour's new TB12 pajamas aren't cheap, but they promise to rejuvenate your body after workouts. And they just might work, according to a study from the U.S. National Institutes of Health. By Al Sacco Jan 05, 2017 2 mins Health and Fitness Software Wearables Consumer Electronics opinion Budweiser 'smart' beer fridge encourages drinking on the job The new 'Bud-E Fridge' IoT smart refrigerator automatically orders more beer for you and your coworkers when supplies get low, and it's available for a limited time for free, if you're located in Chicago, New York or Los Angeles. By Al Sacco Dec 06, 2016 2 mins Media and Entertainment Industry Internet of Things Consumer Electronics opinion Why Samsung should release a Note 8 Samsung denies reports that it's planning to release another Note smartphone, but it would be a major misstep for the company to do away with what is perhaps its most important smartphone brand. Here's why. By Al Sacco Oct 26, 2016 4 mins Small and Medium Business Technology Industry Smartphones news analysis Google makes more than Samsung, Apple on flagship phone The price Google charges for its Pixel XL smartphone is closer to what it costs to make the phone than what both Samsung and Apple charge for the GS7 and iPhone 7, but Google still makes more money. Here's why. By Al Sacco Oct 25, 2016 3 mins Small and Medium Business iPhone Manufacturing Industry Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe