[ad_1]
Thomas Peter / Reuters
For millions of iPhone users worldwide who own an iPhone using Face ID, unlocking their phone has become difficult during the coronavirus pandemic and due to a small but significant lifestyle change it has brought: face masks . The generally fast and convenient Face ID tends not to recognize users when wearing a mask.
Although there are many ways that users can teach Face ID to recognize their face and unlock their iPhone even while wearing a mask, it is not the easiest and most convenient to do. Apple appears to have been working on a solution that would make it easier for iPhone users wearing a mask to unlock their device.
Apple’s clever solution for Face ID doesn’t work when using skins
The Cupertino, California-based tech giant has made a nifty upgrade to its Face ID system in the recently released developer beta of iOS 13.5, where the Face ID system recognizes if the user is wearing a face mask and allows them to Avoid Login with Face ID and go directly to the password entry screen.
In other words, users who wear a mask will no longer need to swipe up from the bottom of the screen over and over again to access the passcode option when Face ID doesn’t work. Instead, they will automatically be directed to the access code option once the system recognizes that they are wearing a mask.
Apparently, Apple is allowing developers to test the beta feature in the latest iOS developer beta, but the iPhone maker will accelerate the final testing and make it available in the public version of iOS as soon as possible.
Why does Face ID not work with skins?
Apple Face ID is the most advanced 3D facial recognition system that perceives the user’s facial characteristics by projecting more than 30,000 invisible points on the user’s face. It also uses its sophisticated anti-spoofing neural networks and machine learning to protect against iPhone unlocking using photos or mask or any other technique.
Facial identification only works when the user’s eyes, nose and mouth are exposed and can be scanned. It does not work when the user uses a mask and that is for security reasons, since the system is also used for bank transactions and in Apple Pay.
The 30,000 invisible points will be partially covered when the user has put on a mask, which does not allow the Face ID system to measure 3D depth and facial characteristics and the camera cannot capture and read all biometric information. Therefore, Face ID does not work with a mask.
FACE ID + Touch ID The best of both worlds
Many tech experts and smartphone analysts believe the best solution to the problem is to have a combination of Face ID and a fingerprint reader unlock, something Apple is rumored to be looking for for 2020 iPhones.
An Apple Face ID and Touch ID iPhone will provide users with the best of both worlds, the security and comfort of Face ID and the versatility of Touch ID. The newly released iPhone SE has a Touch ID home button at the bottom of the screen, but it gets lost with Face ID.
Although this type of solution has been widely used in almost all Android smartphones, its facial recognition systems are not as advanced and reliable as Apple’s.
It will be interesting to see how Apple plans to implement the Touch ID solution on its future iPhones. It should be seen if a rear mounted Touch ID sensor will be used, or a side solution on the power button, or it may even be a Touch ID solution on the screen. Until then, access codes should work fine for most people.
