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Face ID on the iPhone 12 will be way ahead of what the competition offers. (Photo by Jaap … [+]
It’s hard not to be fooled by the romance of using Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2. The novelty of using a futuristic phone that would be at home in a James Cameron movie has yet to fade.
But one feature is missing that makes the Fold 2 feel decidedly dated: Face ID.
We all know the history of Apple’s biometric security technology: it debuted on the iPhone X in 2017 and it overcame the maneuver. any Android rival for at least two years. Apple likes to subtly remind anyone who hears this, as you can see from the repeated mentions of the word “advanced” on the company’s Face ID explainer site.
In fact, it is advanced. There is a complex setup of an incredibly delicate spot projector, flood illuminator, and infrared camera, which combine to create a mathematical representation of your mug.
Google caught up in 2019 with its own equally secure version called Face Unlock (via its Soli radar technology) on the Pixel 4. It was my closest favorite feature on the phone, second only to the camera. The precision, speed and security of unlocking my phone, paying for things Y Logging into apps at a glance was a huge time saver. If there’s one thing I like about Google’s technology, it’s that it saves me time.
But the Pixel 5 has ditched Face Unlock and returned to a fingerprint sensor, the price has dropped significantly as well. There’s $ 100 between the Pixel 4 ($ 799) and the Pixel 5 ($ 699), while the entry-level iPhone 12 will cost the same as the Pixel 5. The key difference, however, is that Apple will likely include Face ID. in the new cheaper version. iPhone. That gives the phone a huge advantage in my books.
I get the Pixel 5 price drop, especially these days. But I can’t help but regret the loss of a truly key feature in Google’s hardware lineup. I miss the speed of facial recognition and the wonder of my phone preparing to unlock before picking it up. But more importantly, I’m in mourning for what Google will do with Soli on future Pixel phones. It seems only Apple will make the most of those future options.
A repair shop owner I spoke to recently, who has become something of a Face ID specialist in recent years (more on that soon), told me that he believes Apple’s advanced biometric security technology will be key to your future smart home offering. Makes sense right? Quick and safe unlocking of your front door or your car as you approach. Each connected device in your home adjusts to your personal settings just by looking at your face. Big Tech ads that sell us a vision of a perfect smart home, which never comes close to reality, could be more accurate with a future version of Face ID included in the mix.
The prospect of Google marrying Assistant to its Soli technology is also tantalizing. Not only does the search company have a wide and growing range of smart home products, but it appears to be rolling out new Assistant features on a weekly basis. I can imagine a hyper-personalized shared house experience in which Google’s Nest technology, Assistant and Soli combine to take some of the pain out of living with multiple housemates. But that futuristic vision could only belong to Apple now.
Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects unit spent four years, and probably a lot of money, developing Soli. I don’t think its unceremonious storage on the Pixel 5 is the end, but it doesn’t look good for the radar chip. For now, Apple is only moving forward with 3D facial biometric security on smartphones. Add in its depth scanning Lidar technology and there’s a chance the company will not only extend its already considerable lead, but also embark on a radically different hardware path than its rivals.
Have a tip, thoughts, or something to complain about? Let me know.
