A new report from SamMobile claims to confirm that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5 will indeed have a fingerprint sensor. Not only that, the leaked information has a lot to say about how the feature will work. According to SamMobile, the sensor is going to be integrated with the home button, and yes, that means there will still be physical buttons on the Galaxy S5.
Unlike Apple's Touch ID scanner, Samsung's version will require you to swipe your finger across the home button while keeping it flat. This ought to be a more accurate method of detection that isn't as easy to fool, but it might not be as convenient. The sensor will also require you swipe fairly fast to get a good read, and moisture will negatively affect its accuracy.
Up to eight fingerprints can be stored by the device, with at least one being tied to unlocking the phone. The others can supposedly be used for custom shortcuts and to keep private information secure. That second bit will be thanks to a new feature apparently known as Private Mode (or Personal Folder in some contexts). You will be able to place apps, widgets, and files in a special container that can only be accessed with a fingerprint or another secure method like a pattern or PIN. Your prints could also be used as a password replacement that automatically fills in account details in the browser. The same trick should work for verifying your Samsung account as well.
SamMobile has a good track record with Samsung leaks, so this is sounding solid. Additionally, the way it's described sounds very much like the Samsung approach of packing in as many features as possible.