“眨眼解锁”的手机
虹膜包含大量独一无二的特征，包括相互交错的斑点、细丝、冠状、条纹等等细节。常在谍战片里出现的虹膜识别黑科技，终于在日常手机上被解锁。
测试中可能遇到的词汇和知识：
high-end|高端的；高档的['haɪɛnd]
phablet|平板手机[ˈfæblɪt]
mass-market|畅销的
retina|视网膜['retɪnə]
iris|虹膜['aɪrɪs]
reinvigorate|使再振作；使复兴[riːɪn'vɪgəreɪt]
durability|耐久性；坚固[,djʊrə'bɪləti]
阅读马上开始，建议您计算一下阅读整篇文章所用的时间，对照下方的参考值就可以评估出您的英文阅读水平。
如果您读完全文用时为： 那么，您的阅读速度相当于 每分钟阅读的英文单词数
3分0秒 母语为英语者的朗读速度 140
1分48秒 母语为英语的中学生的阅读速度 250
1分0秒 母语为英语的大学生的阅读速度 350
0分42秒 母语为英语的速读高手 1000
Samsung unlocks new features with iris-scanning ‘phablet’ （420 words）
By Nicholas Megaw in London
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Samsung has launched a high-end “phablet” that competes with BlackBerry on security features prized by business users, while out-innovating Apple with an iris-scanning feature.
The Galaxy Note7 is being introduced against a backdrop of slowing smartphone sales growth that the South Korean company has handled better than its rivals, with its mobile sales last month driving its best quarterly results in more than two years.
The Note7 smartphone, with its supersized 5.7-inch screen, is the first mass-market Android phone to feature a retina scanner. As well as unlocking users’ phones, the iris scanning can also be used to authenticate purchases through the Samsung Pay service.
David Lowes, Samsung Europe senior vice-president, said the company wanted to “show that we are the mobile company that takes security really seriously”.
The focus on security echoes BlackBerry’s efforts to reinvigorate its enterprise handset business by launching “the world’s most secure Android smartphone” last week.
Samsung also hopes to appeal to younger users with entertainment features such as HDR video streaming, while changes to the camera make it easier to take selfies with one hand.
The company is targeting users who “have found a work-life blend”, according to Mr Lowes. “Previously at Samsung we maybe focused very much on the technology or durability parts of the device, but now I think we’ve brought the desirability in as well,” he added.
Differentiating its products on more than just the strength of its technology is becoming increasingly important for Samsung, as it faces growing competition in the Android market and the continuing challenge from the iPhone’s superior app offerings.
Privately owned Chinese group Huawei has graduated from producing cheap white-label phones to launching its own premium handsets, and has publicly proclaimed its desire to unseat Apple and Samsung in global smartphone sales.
Fellow Chinese company Xiaomi is also looking to expand overseas, and recently bought some 1,500 patents from Microsoft to boost its ability to fend off lawsuits.
The growing number of groups are competing in a tougher market, with global smartphone sales growth forecast to more than halve to 6.3 per cent this year, declining to as low as 3.8 per cent by 2020, according to the research firm Gartner. Last week, Apple announced that sales of its iPhone had fallen 15 per cent in its second quarter.
Mr Lowes said premium phones were enjoying faster growth than the rest of the market, and the company’s recent results showed that “you cannot only grow in the smartphone market today, but you can do it profitably”.
请根据你所读到的文章内容，完成以下自测题目：
1. Which one of the following can be used to authenticate purchases through the Samsung Pay service?
A. retina scanning
B. iris scanning
C. gait recognition
D. voice recognition
2. Who lunched ‘the world’s most secure Android smartphone” last week?
A. Huawei
B. Apple
C. BlackBerry
D. Nokia
3. How to appeal to younger users for Samsung as mentioned?
A. entertainment features
B. payment security
C. good-looking appearance
D. technology and durability
4. Who bought some 1,500 patents from Microsoft to boost its ability?
A. Huawei
B. Xiaomi
C. Apple
D. BlackBerry
[1] 答案 B. iris scanning
解释：Note7是首部有虹膜识别的手机，可以用于手机解锁。同时视网膜识别功能可以授权支付Samsung Pay。gait recognition是步态识别。
[2] 答案 C. BlackBerry
解释：上周，黑莓发布了“全球最安全的安卓手机”。
[3] 答案 A. entertainment features
解释：文章提到为了吸引更多年轻人，三星优化智能手机的娱乐功能，例如支持HDR 视频、优化自拍体验等。
[4] 答案 B. Xiaomi
解释：小米也正通过各种努力获得所需的专利技术，比如从微软手中购买约1500项专利。
