... Doubt anyone would really notice, seeing as the screens get dirty and etched from the keyboard even without people touching them ...
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Executives Address Lack of Face ID and Touchscreens on Macs
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
touch ID has always been a bit flaky for me, especialy if I have washed my hands reciently. face ID is implausably reliable.
Where are these concerns with iPads? I hear no complaint from the iPad crowd but hey let’s make it a big deal, once the screen is on you don’t notice the smudges unless it’s all black for any extended period of time. Actually if smudges is such a problem why use an iPhone or iPad.... Doubt anyone would really notice, seeing as the screens get dirty and etched from the keyboard even without people touching them ...
Sometimes the camera is looking up at my nose when im in bed. Also sometimes i only raise my sleep mask slightly so i can see, the face id can never identify my face with it on. So its not more convenient for me. I find myself entering the passcode on my iphone too many times as is because my face is not always fully visible. In fact i rather have touch id on my phone too.
having to make an extra conscious movement when unlocking your computer is better than not having to think about it or move at all...hmm got it. ?
Face ID on macs would be nice but it's not a must have with touch id. What annoys me is that neither Stern, nor any other journalists have called Apple out on absence of Touch ID on iphones. A much more pressing issue because of masks that face ID on macs, yet there a weird conspiracy of silence about it.
That excuse makes no sense. They’re not putting Touch ID on new, flagship iPhones, yet, if I’m *holding* an iPhone, IT’S ALREADY IN MY HAND.
The lack of Touch ID is why I haven’t ordered an iPhone Pro to replace my iPhone 6s. Touch ID is was more convenient for me than FaceID.
This excuse also makes no sense for the MacBooks. The person’s face is RIGHT THERE ALREADY.
The lack of Touch ID is why I haven’t ordered an iPhone Pro to replace my iPhone 6s. Touch ID is was more convenient for me than FaceID.
This excuse also makes no sense for the MacBooks. The person’s face is RIGHT THERE ALREADY.
"We make the world's best touch computer on an iPad. It's totally optimized for that. And the Mac is totally optimized for indirect input. We haven't really felt a reason to change that," John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering, told me.
"Go spend even 5 minutes in a freaking K-3 classroom you friggin' arsehat." Every single early-childhood educator told John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of having your head where the sun don't shine.
"Go spend even 5 minutes in a freaking K-3 classroom you friggin' arsehat." Every single early-childhood educator told John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of having your head where the sun don't shine.
Walmart special ? My $2,100 Surface laptop studio begs to disagree. Touch screen is a major plus and I can draw on it. Don’t need two devices like an iPad and a MacBook. Don’t get me wrong I like macOS but even with the M1 I’ll gladly take an Intel or AMD cpu and a dedicated gpu because of the lack of games on macOS.
True but it's rather inconsistent to setup multiple authentication sources. Why not just use TouchID for both? Using my 14" MacBook Pro I've never once had the feeling of needing or wanting FaceID. In fact my Apple Watch is what I mainly use to unlock it.
No - I think there are times when keyboard has advantage and times when touch has advantage, making the most optimal but difficult tech to bring to market a mix of both.
Apple will have touch Macs eventually. There's those who understand why, and those who're always behind the curve justifying old decisions.
Yall need to realize Apple is a business and they understand how to sell products... What other major enticing improvements do you see in the next updated MacBook Pros (besides FaceID)? Why would they release an all-perfect MBP right now? If they did that, nobody would have any reason to upgrade again in a year or two...
This will be just like the previous gen MBPs with the TouchBar. Remember? There was an MBP without the TouchBar, and then there was also an MBP with the TouchBar at a higher price.
In a year or two, there will be updated MBPs without the FaceID option, and also with the FaceID option for a premium price. Both will be available, though I suspect the FaceID ones will probably be only available with the better specs configurations. This is basic Apple 101 sales strategy, actually.
This will be just like the previous gen MBPs with the TouchBar. Remember? There was an MBP without the TouchBar, and then there was also an MBP with the TouchBar at a higher price.
In a year or two, there will be updated MBPs without the FaceID option, and also with the FaceID option for a premium price. Both will be available, though I suspect the FaceID ones will probably be only available with the better specs configurations. This is basic Apple 101 sales strategy, actually.
I would love an iPad Pro that ran Mac OS optionally when a keyboard with touchpad was attached. Or a Mac laptop with a touchscreen that could run iPad OS (harder to do I think with current hardware I think, since you can't fit the guts of a MacBook in the screen very well). I just don't want to buy two devices that have such overlapping uses. Apple is probably working on this, but it's not ready yet
"Apple gives BS argument that is immediately undone by existence of other Apple product already on the market, feels no shame whatsoever, instead of coming clean about their intent to do the very thing they're now lying about but were unable to in time for production due to various factors."
Not as smooth a headline, but fixed that for you.
I know why Apple feels the need to spin it this way, but treating loyal users like we're brain dead morons is getting a little old. Just looking at that notch makes it clear what Apple wanted to do here, but the tech didn't mature fast enough to make the cut. We get it. Just be honest about it because we all know it's coming in the next revision and this trend of dishonest hypocrisy is going to take a toll on your reputation if you keep it up.
Not as smooth a headline, but fixed that for you.
I know why Apple feels the need to spin it this way, but treating loyal users like we're brain dead morons is getting a little old. Just looking at that notch makes it clear what Apple wanted to do here, but the tech didn't mature fast enough to make the cut. We get it. Just be honest about it because we all know it's coming in the next revision and this trend of dishonest hypocrisy is going to take a toll on your reputation if you keep it up.
At first I was disappointed by the lack of Face ID, but now I understand why it wasn't needed:
1) To unlock an iPhone you pick it up, wake up the screen, and then it scans your face. This physical action is required before a face scan happens. There is no equivalent on the Mac. You have to tap the keyboard or click the mouse to wake up your Mac. If you're already tapping a key, then it might as well be the fingerprint reader.
2) When making online purchases on an iPhone, it scans your face, but still requires a click or two on the side button. There is always a button press involved for verification. Some kind of verification is needed on the Mac too, and if your hands will be clicking some key for verification it might as well be the fingerprint reader.
3) I definitely don't want my Mac continuously scanning for faces either. Then it would wake up every time I was in front of it.
I think the only case where Face ID would be handy on the Mac is when you physically open a laptop that is sleeping. However, if this is the only useful case, then heck, I'll gladly just press the fingerprint reader since my hands are already near the keys.
1) To unlock an iPhone you pick it up, wake up the screen, and then it scans your face. This physical action is required before a face scan happens. There is no equivalent on the Mac. You have to tap the keyboard or click the mouse to wake up your Mac. If you're already tapping a key, then it might as well be the fingerprint reader.
2) When making online purchases on an iPhone, it scans your face, but still requires a click or two on the side button. There is always a button press involved for verification. Some kind of verification is needed on the Mac too, and if your hands will be clicking some key for verification it might as well be the fingerprint reader.
3) I definitely don't want my Mac continuously scanning for faces either. Then it would wake up every time I was in front of it.
I think the only case where Face ID would be handy on the Mac is when you physically open a laptop that is sleeping. However, if this is the only useful case, then heck, I'll gladly just press the fingerprint reader since my hands are already near the keys.
Yeah that is that is just typical Apple positive spin babble. Translation is: They can't do it. Not with how thin the MacBook lid is. It's just not physically possible at this time, which is not something Apple would ever admit. Positive spin only.
Obviously reaching for a key in upper right corner which is not part of the keyboard muscle memory pattern at all, is never going to be more convenient than Face ID which would just work, considering you're always looking at the exact right place/angle.
Sure but you can’t compare the keyboard smudges to iPad style finger print smudges. There’s no comparison in how bad it would be.... Doubt anyone would really notice, seeing as the screens get dirty and etched from the keyboard even without people touching them ...
Oh? Is the TouchID sensor underneath the 'J' key? No. Then it's not more convenient. I have to move my hand to the upper corner of the keyboard instead of just making sure I glance at the camera with my eyes.
I find FaceID to be far more convenient than TouchID was on my phone ... and my hands are already all over that puppy when an authentication need comes up. The fact that it 'just happens' and is so fast you barely even notice it makes it superior (for most use cases) than TouchID even on a device that my fingers are already close to that fingerprint sensor. That ergonomic reality is even more profound on a laptop. If I don't have to adjust my posture/armposition/etc to authenticate, and instead can just flick my eyes up for half a second, that is clearly a better experience.
I love apple, don’t get me wrong. But FaceID missing from laptops that they *added* a notch to is pretty dumb. Not to mention I’m willing to bet they have the ingenuity and resources to have fit the camera in the bezel even with it being smaller. I also don’t understand how touchID is considered better in this use case. I imagine opening my laptop, it recognizing my face and logging in to my profile, maybe another user opening it and it automatically logging them in. Could probably even have attention awareness where if you look away for so long it locks the screen. Imagine going to a website and there just being a little faceid button where passwords are inserted that you click to activate to solve the “intent” issue. If the laptop doesn’t recognize the person sitting in front of the laptop it can ask for a passcode. I dunno. Just seems lazy to me. I don’t mind the notch, especially on my phone because it serves purpose but on the laptop it’s just kind of like…. Why?
FaceID becomes less seamless when you’re talking about using it on a laptop, because it wouldn’t just be looking at the screen to get it to unlock or buy or access whatever you are wanting to do. You would have to touch some key or combination of keys to start the process, then just like on the iPhone and iPad Pro’s, you would then need to hit some key once or twice (twice if it were like the iPhone / iPad Pr) to finish the process.
The only time it might be a seamless single process is opening the screen the first time after it has been in sleep mode.
I could care less about touch screen, it's not the use case for that (who wants to hold their hands up?). But the Touch ID reason given is pure BS. They know it's faster to unlock something you're already looking at than to press a button. Thats why it works so well on the phones - you don't have to "do" anything. This is nonsense. We aren't always typing. I have to move my hand... which is not hard mind you, but with Face ID all I'd have to do is... exist. Maybe purposely look at the camera.
I do understand for purchase something needs to be pressed. But if Windows Hello can do it, so can Apple.
The notch is huge for no good reason. I don't mind it, but it clearly was a design decision for looks.