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Does Touch ID learn over time?

K

kcvpr

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 15, 2014
11
1
I had my iPhone 6+ replaced yesterday for a cosmetic dent in the metal casing. Since then I have noticed that Touch ID isn't performing as quickly as with the last device.

Does Touch ID 'learn' your fingerprint over time. Or did I just not set up the fingerprints as well as I did with the last device?
 
Put your primary prints in 2 or even 3 times in seperate "fingers" and you'll see the phone unlock much faster...but to answer your question it does seam to "learn" over time....first week my Touch ID was slower than just swiping to unlock like I'm use to but now its almost too fast! Sometimes I just want to check the time and not unlock!
 
Steve686 said:
I don't get what you mean learn over time.



Whatever fingerprints are stored during setup better be the only ones allowed or else this could be a security loophole to reimage a user's fingerprint?
Click to expand...


A finger may not change, but each time you press is a little different angle and each time you press is a little different pressure. If Apple required 100% match, you would either have to give dozens upon dozens of samples or most attempts would have to fail. So to improve success with only 2 or 3 samples, there has to be a % variation, a margin of error. Within that margin, they could map more variations, increasing the library of correct answers, and even boosting the % match requirement.
 
I don't think it learns. How you set up your fingerprint has a lot of impacts on how it behaves later on; make sure you took snapshot of all angles of your finger when doing that.
 
WilliamG said:
I don't believe it. Despite what Apple may say. It either works or it doesn't. Winter is tougher, since fingers get cracks, dry out etc.
Click to expand...

Maybe you are right, however on the first few days when I registered my prints I have had few failures, but now I can't remember the last failure... maybe it occurs when am walking on the rain and fingers are somehow wet. That may be related to update improvements too, I don't know.
 
bjb.butler said:
Source?
Click to expand...

Just tested it again. Keep locking and unlocking with your finger and move it a couple of millimeters each time. Or you can do it in 'touch id & password' menu in settings.

Touch ID adds the 'new' region around your 'known' print. Keep unlocking and you will be able to unlock with a region you haven't initialized with.
 
bjb.butler said:
Source?
Click to expand...

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5949?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Touch ID can even read multiple fingerprints, and it can read fingerprints in 360-degrees of orientation. It then creates a mathematical representation of your fingerprint and compares this to your enrolled fingerprint data to identify a match and unlock your iPhone. Touch ID will incrementally add new sections of your fingerprint to your enrolled fingerprint data to improve matching accuracy over time. Touch ID uses all of this to provide an accurate match and a very high level of security.
Click to expand...
 
brand said:
I've already taught mine how to play dead and roll over. It didn't like fetch so much.
Click to expand...

bwuahahahaha!!!! I lulzd at this

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as far as ur original question is concerned OP... I don't think so, I believe it's how you position your fingers and cover as many angles as possible.

here's my tip: when you setup the touchID, try to touch it as many angles as possible, and make sure you touch it the way you would unlock it. i.e. if you're heavy handed on the right thumb, press it that way.
 
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