Confirmed: Samsung Galaxy S5 features fingerprint scanner, plus heart rate sensor

One of the biggest talking points for Samsung Galaxy S5 is that new fingerprint scanner. Samsung's scanner, which works by swiping your finger down over the home button, has a few handy use cases. In addition to the obligatory phone unlock option, it also lets you fingerprint-protect a private data locker on your phone, in case you have confidential information you don't want getting out there.

Samsung also announced a partnership with PayPal which allows you to make online payments using the fingerprint method.

The other major new hardware feature is the heart rate sensor, which is built into the same rear module as the LED flash. It works in conjunction with S-Health 3.0, which acts as a personal life coach of sorts. To monitor your pulse, hold your finger up to the sensor and leave it there while the phone does the rest of the work. As you continue to do this more often, S-Health remembers your history and even goes through the effort of graphing it and offering up other relevant information. It also acts as a pedometer and food monitor. Samsung plans to offer an open SDK for developers to incorporate the tech into their own apps.