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Apple Executives Address Lack of Face ID and Touchscreens on Macs

Force332 said:
In these instances where their product managers make clarifying statements on the record, Apple likes to keep the answer short and simple and not go into any detail about the other, likely more real reasons. Something I miss about Jobs' presentations. He would often explain why things were or were not in a little more technical detail. And certainly with a lot more passion. These corporate, PR-type responses always make me cringe. They're rarely the whole story and are sometimes misleading.

That said, I don't think it's as simple as, "well your face is always in front of the display so it would be far easier than taking a moment to touch a specific button," as most people here argue. That argument is valid in certain scenarios for sure. I think the best example is instant authentication and unlock when opening the lid. Instant login to websites and apps might be another. What it doesn't address are payment and purchasing confirmations. With FaceID on the iPhone, there is a secondary action that has to occur (double pressing the home button) in order to prevent unintended purchases. In those situations, the Mac would need some sort of secondary action. I think Apple's viewpoint is that secondary authentication step is already there with the TouchID button, so why add another component into the mix (cost, software complexity, etc).

Not saying I necessarily agree with that, but my guess would be that's why they haven't. Or at least one of the reasons. There could be a technical reason, like not being able to fit the components in the lid. Or it could also just be a cost thing. I don't know.

The other thing it could be is Apple might not be ready or also unwilling to offer duel forms of authentication. Something I've been wanting and waiting for going back to the iPhone X. I'm hoping we'll eventually get there. There's always rumors that the iPhone one or two generations from now will add back TouchID. But, those rumors have thus far turned out to not be true. I really think multiple biometric authentication options makes sense from both a convenience perspective and a security perspective (something we know Apple is always happy to tout). But my guess is as of right now, it's either a cost thing, an implementation thing, or both.

But yeah, I'd bet money that some time down the road the reasoning they gave here will magically go away.
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The secondary action would just be clicking the "Continue" or "Yes" or "I Accept" button.
 
I’d be all over a Surface Studio style iMac. Bring back a hinged display and allow me to draw on an iMac screen with the Apple Pencil, that would be wonderful. The lack of cooling in the iPads leads to touch issues which thwart my artistic workflow, so I’d welcome another Apple drawing option.

Re: FaceID, find it odd Apple did not include it in these notched MBPs.

Apple will do Apple ...so whatever.
 
jonproject said:
I use my iPad with a magic keyboard all the time and it unlocks just fine.
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The implementation on the Mac would need to work at a range of distances - I suspect you are still very close to your iPad.

ALSO ....

Clamshell mode? Using a MacBook attached to an external Monitor.... all these things leave FaceID totally disabled...

It just won't work.

TouchID IS the most sensible options like it or not.
 
This is about opening up one feature at a time to keep new sales going also next year and the year after and …
 
WinkleStinkle said:
Okay but TouchID requires you to consciously change your hand placement. The screen is right in-front of your face so FaceID would require no thought to unlock, it would be instant..
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But that is kinda the problem. While yes you may want it to unlock in a instant, what about verifying that you want to pay for something? I still think people would want some sort of verification that you really want to proceed rather than do it automatically.

I mainly use my laptops on external screens and keyboards anyway. So neither work for me in that situation. That is where having the Apple Watch comes in handy.
 
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I was expecting and hoping for a little more honesty. That the FaceID module would require the laptop screen to be as thick as an iPad screen - at least where the tech is at this point. Much better than ‘because your hands are already there’! But all of their answers are prepared corporate spin, I suppose at no fault of their own.
 
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"We make the world's best touch computer on an iPad”. They don’t seem to bother that the iPad is not a computer, even if the users are constantly complaining about that.
 
krspkbl said:
does it really need Face ID though? there is a fingerprint reader isn't there? maybe they will add it in the future but they'll do it when they are ready. the touch id is more than enough for now.

as for touch screens. just no. they have their place on phones/tablets. maybe if we ever get a 2 in 1 mac or some kind of macbook/ipad hybrid then yeah but i don't want a touch screen on a laptop/iMac which already has a keyboard/mouse.
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The people that just want something because, just make Macs cost more for frivolous crap.
I have touch Id already on the power button why in the hell would you make the Mac
cost even more with face id? Most people already have a tablet how often would you be reaching
up to the screen to use touch screen? I hope Apple doesn't listen to these fools.
I could have done without mini Led and 120 refresh.
 
Kylo83 said:
But the Touch ID is not near where your hands are you always have to move it up right to use it, faceid would be better and give us touch screen we want it
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Who’s this “we” you’re attempting to represent? I certainly don’t want it. I know a lot of other people who actively don’t want touch screens on the Mac. Plus, changing the UI to accommodate touch would make it needlessly worse - touch targets would have to get bigger for lots of things.

And I want the Touch ID key to be far away from the home row, since it’s the key that authorizes payments - I don’t want to be able to press it accidentally. It’s not much further away than the return key or the delete key, presumably you use those often, without complaining about the burden of having to reach that far, yes? If not, you won’t get much sympathy for your plight.

I wouldn’t mind Face ID on the Mac, but I really don’t see what all the fuss is about.
 
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MacRumors said:
Apple's vice president of iPad and Mac product marketing, told Stern that Touch ID is more convenient on the Mac since users' hands are already on the keyboard.
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Where does he think that users' hands are when they're using their iPhones? #touchIDforlife
 
Laptops have hinges. It will cause a lot of issues scanning as they would need to have a proper angle. What about when you use it in clamshell mode? TouchID does have also an issue with this, but you can solve it with a keyboard enabled TouchID. Would you put a camera on a keyboard? ?

Again – those who want FaceId on a laptop seriously need to think beyond the gimmick and put themselves in the job of creating this.

FaceID makes more sense on a flat non-angled screen like... you guessed it, Desktop computers.
 
Vasilisxd said:
"We make the world's best touch computer on an iPad”. They don’t seem to bother that the iPad is not a computer, even if the users are constantly complaining about that.
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It's the same people that complain about the lack of face ID and touchscreens on macs.
They probably do not even own Macs.
 
Apple has never been afraid to canibalize their products. This was a big topic with iphone/ipod/ipad. There was definitely canibalizing, but the company didn't let that keep them from creating new products, even if there was overlap. Also I hate touchscreen on a laptop. I have used them here and there and my hand/arm get tired. The ergonomics just don't work. Also I feel like there is alot of accidental inputs when I go to point at something on the screen and get to close to it.
 
I can see the argument for no touch screen, but the excuse for no face-id was really stupid. It certainly demonstrates why Apple has made so many bone-head decisions on design over the last 5 years. At the price levels they charge, I expect more from them and not less.
 
darngooddesign said:
Well that’s way more convenient than the single action of putting your finger on an easy to locate key. /s
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This is only for payment. Everything else would be instantly automatic without having to move a muscle. Just like it is on the iPhone.
 
"Mr. Boger said Touch ID is more convenient on a laptop since your hands are already on the keyboard."

Aren't my hands already on the iPhone too?
 
No doubt somewhere in an Apple Park basement, there is a team of engineers trying to figure out how to make a dot projector thin enough to fit in a MacBook Pro display.
 
what is probably the most contentious and talked about features

Sorry but I think you meant

what are probably the most contentious and talked about features

Grammar matters....
 
friedmud said:
That's how it is on the iPhone too - and you think that's "awkward"? Having a secondary mechanism for authorizing spending money is just a good idea.
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I still have a Touch ID and a Face ID iPad Pro, and Touch ID is less awkward than Face ID on the iPad. Resting my finger on the Macs power button is a cinch and doesn’t require the second action required ont he phone.
 
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