LadyRuna (5/7/2012)
From examining several phones belonging to various people, I have determined that the "fingerswipe password" is essentially useless as security. It can perhaps prevent someone from accidentally opening your phone by just picking it up, but anyone who really wants to use it can find your password pattern quickly because the smears on the screen will reveal the pattern (look carefully at your phone if you use the fingerswipe password - you will "see" your pattern on the screen ... especially if you're the type of person who has never bothered to clean the phone screen.. (ewwwwwwwwwwwww) )
All serious key entry password systems use randomized keypads; the old way used red 7 segment LCD displays under each button, and the new way uses the regular device touchscreen, like the Datalocker portable USB drive does. Thus, even seeing the very latest fingerprint pattern shouldn't* help determine either what numbers were in which place at the time it was done, nor help figure out where they'll be next time.
*Unless someone uses a poor random number generator or seed.