Samsung said its iris-scanning technology had been through “rigorous testing” to “prevent attempts to compromise its security”.
“If there is a potential vulnerability or the advent of a new method that challenges our efforts to ensure security at any time, we will respond as quickly as possible to resolve the issue.”
Security expert Ken Munro said the discovery was “another reminder that biometrics is not a silver bullet”.
“Personally, I prefer fingerprints to iris unlock. Your fingers are already holding your phone, so why not use prints rather than wave your phone in front of your face?
“If you want to be really secure, choose fingerprints and a secret number. If you must have iris unlock, please walk everywhere with your eyes closed, so your iris can’t be photographed.”
Galaxy S8 owners have the option of using a password or secret number to unlock their phone, instead of using the iris scanner.