Android smartphones can have as much great technology as companies can dream of, but implementing it correctly depends on the applications. Convincing developers to support new features has always been Android’s Achillies heel, and it appears the app’s problem will be the case with Pixel 4’s face unlock biometrics.
In their full Pixel 4 review in October, the folks at Android Central offered some interesting facts about the phone’s face unlock feature. Apparently only 5 apps on Google Play Store offered face unlock support on Pixel 4 at the time. Specifically, those apps are Dashlane, 1Password, Keeper, Password Safe, and Robinhood.
Why so few applications? The face unlock in Pixel 4 is based on an updated version of the Android APIs, specifically one named “BiometricPrompt”. This new API is compatible with Android Pie and so on, so sooner or later more and more developers will need to change from previous APIs.
Compatibility with “BiometricPrompt” is also a greater benefit than simply adding Pixel 4 face unlock support. Applications that support this updated API will work best with future versions of smartphones on any biometric system they support! Samsung, for example, uses “BiometricPrompt” with the iris scanners on some of its older smartphones.
However, in early 2020, the Pixel 4 is the only Android smartphone that It depends in “BiometricPrompt” support. As such, it only greatly benefits Pixel owners when apps renew their biometric support for this feature. What applications have been updated? We have a full list below that is constantly updated with apps that add support.
Android apps with Pixel 4 face unlock support
Update 06/29: The Cash app has added support for BiometricAPI, allowing face unlock in Pixel 4.
Have you noticed an app with facial unlock support in Pixel 4 that we missed? Send us a tip or contact me on Twitter and we’ll add it!
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