Apple's Craig Federighi: Uncertainty About Face ID Will 'Melt Away' Once People Get iPhone X

[MacRumors]

Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi today joined Daring Fireball's John Gruber on an episode of The Talk Show, where he likened uncertainties over Face ID to the concerns that customers expressed when Touch ID first launched in 2013 in the iPhone 5s.

Honestly, we're just all counting the days that customers can finally get their hands on these. Because I think just like with Touch ID, initially people thought oh, 'Apple's done something that's totally not going to work and I'm not a believer and I'm not gonna use this feature.'

Now everyone's worried because they can't imagine life without Touch ID. We're going to see exactly the same thing with Face ID.

In a discussion that revisited the on-stage gaffe that saw Face ID fail to authenticate his face during Tuesday's event, Federighi said he was shocked when it happened because the feature normally "just works." He went on to say he understands the uncertainty, but that it will "melt away" once people experience the product. "You don't even think about it," he said.

Federighi went on to say that as much as Apple loves Touch ID, Face ID is "that much better." He confirmed that Apple believes Face ID is the future of biometric authentication, with the caveat that there are settings where different biometric techniques or combinations of biometrics could make sense.

Much of the rest of the discussion covered the same topics that were discussed in Federighi's earlier interview with TechCrunch. Federighi reiterated that most sunglasses work with Face ID, aside from some that have coatings that block infrared. One way around that, he says, is to turn off the "attention aware" feature that requires eye contact for Face ID to unlock.

He also explained why users need to swipe to get past the lock screen of the iPhone X, rather than it opening directly with a facial scan - it's so you can still glimpse at the time, check your notifications, or get to the flashlight without the iPhone opening up to the Home screen. The swipe and scan are simultaneous with no real waiting period or delay.

One last little tidbit -- with the feature that allows you to disable Face ID temporarily by pressing the side button and the volume buttons, it also takes a screenshot because the gestures are the same. Apple's looking into fixing that by deleting the screenshot when a press and hold gesture is detected.

Federighi's full interview with John Gruber can be listened to on The Talk Show.

Article Link: Apple's Craig Federighi: Uncertainty About Face ID Will 'Melt Away' Once People Get iPhone X

 

[Moonlight]

"Peoples faces will melt away once they see the iPhone X"

 

[profets]

It’s uncanny how similar this has been to 2013 with the initial Touch ID launch.

Can’t wait to start using Face ID instead of Touch ID.

 

[826317]

Don't expect Apple haters to get the actual device to actually experience the things they complain about. They have a narrative, they won't change their minds about the hate they have.

 

[AngerDanger]

Apple's Craig Federighi: Uncertainty About Face ID Will 'Melt Away' Once People Get iPhone X

Before going on to add, "…It's not the only thing that FaceID's lasers will melt away." When asked for clarification, Federighi quickly said, "Nothing!" and tried to change the subject.

 

[Labeno]

The media is designed to over-react and exaggerate to get more people to go to their web-articles and see annoying advertisements.

 

[Sunny1990]

I gonna love Face-ID.

People tend to bash new products new features, at first, but once they realize how useful and how easily it works, every one will love it. And forget about Touch-ID.

 

[ctrlzone]

i trust you craig

 

[ke-iron]

Not going to lie, at first I was one who didn't want Face ID, but now after seeing it in use and understanding much better how it works I can say I think this will be better than Touch ID. It will only get better from here as well. I think in future iterations of this once Apple has perfected face scanning, they will also incorporate iris scanning. Then they will also bring back Touch ID in an advanced form.

 

[techfreak23]

I don’t understand why they would make the key shortcut to disable Face ID the same as the screenshot shortcut... why not make it press and hold the buttons at the same time for disable and set the screenshot to side button + volume up button? Or just have the SOS feature with clicking the side button five times disable Face ID (which it does already)?

 

[macTW]

He also explained why users need to swipe to get past the lock screen of the iPhone X, rather than it opening directly with a facial scan

Why not offer it as a setting? I'm legitimately disappointed.

 

[KI45]

When i want to see the screen, i press on the power button once without unlocking, couldn't it have been the same here?

 

[techfreak23]

Why not offer it as a setting? I'm legitimately disappointed.

They probably figured that a vast majority of people wouldn’t use the feature since a lot of people check their notifications on the lock screen using quick reply options (for apps that support it), so it probably wasn’t worth it for them to add that, as simple as it would be.

 

[Braderunner]

Prove it! Let me get iPhone X.

 

[DakotaGuy]

Has Apple ever claimed to introduce anything that's not "perfect" or "magical"?

 

[Act3]

What about the notch? Will that melt away too ?

 

[joueboy]

I don't remember any complaints or worries about TouchID if it's going to work or not. The only concern that I heard a lot the first time Apples introduced is security. A lot of questions that time how safe our fingerprints stored on iPhones, or concerns if the government could access the fingerprint data. Fingerprint technology is already a matured technology when Apple integrated it on iPhone. On the other hand facial recognition is a fallable technology. Although Apple has added some layers of technology but a lot of questions how accurate or how safe it is. Considering the fact that it already failed on day one of demo that raises more qiestion. So many unanswered questions and uncertainties about this technology. It will get better that's for sure but it takes time.

 

[lederermc]

I thought the idea of getting rid of the floppy drive was insane, then I thought getting rid of the optical drive was insane. Now I think getting rid of touch ID is insane. I assume I'm wrong again.

 

[Paddle1]

Why not offer it as a setting? I'm legitimately disappointed.

Interesting. Meanwhile users back on iPhone 5s can wake and unlock their device in one action. Unfortunate compromises, wish Touch ID was included as an option as well.

 

[cult hero]

I'm gonna reiterate that I am really looking forward to the third-party reviews.

This is not a product I wanna use first gen, but I have a feeling my next phone is going to be the successor to this one.

 

[Wags]

Just like the cost ? Melt away my bank account. We will get use to it.

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

ATTN Craig/Apple:

You should provide us with the option to unlock directly to the home screen.

What if you want to see your notifications, you ask? You can prevent the unlock to home function by holding a finger on the home screen when you scan your face. That's intuitive UX. You are holding/pinning the lock screen down.

Give us the option. Just like we want an option with the ears.

People like TouchID better because it's faster. It doesn't have the limitation you just explained away (an explanation which didn't make much sense considering my above solution).

 

[Rogifan]

So was Gruber told he could only talk about Face ID? His comments about the notch on his website are quite harsh so why didn’t he ask Craig the reasoning behind that? Afraid he’d never get another interview if he says ‘I’m not a fan of the notch, what we’re you thinking’?

 

[UltimateSyn]

“Combinations of biometrics”
My prediction: they’re still working on under-glass TouchID. Users will have the choice of being authenticated with TouchID, FaceID, or both. With the option of both, they can tout having biometric security that only 1 in 50 billion could fool. (1 in 50,000 for TouchID times 1 in 1,000,000 for FaceID)

 

[profets]

So was Gruber told he could only talk about Face ID? His comments about the notch on his website are quite harsh so why didn’t he ask Craig the reasoning behind that? Afraid he’d never get another interview if he says ‘I’m not a fan of the notch, what we’re you thinking’?

I enjoy listening to and reading Gruber’s podcasts and posts, but while these interviews are interesting to listen to, I feel like he’s always soft with them. Never really asks any tough questions. Asking how they decided on this design of the notch / OLED screen would have been excellent.