which is pretty telling, to be honest. Apple has been much more open regarding giving statements in the past years than before (like with the iTunes rumor).
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Apple Reportedly Reduced Face ID Accuracy to Speed Up iPhone X Production
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which is pretty telling, to be honest. Apple has been much more open regarding giving statements in the past years than before (like with the iTunes rumor).
By the way, hardware changes aren’t made overnight. Those take a considerable amount of time. They didn’t just change things up all of a sudden - any accuracy decisions were made prior to what we’ve seen on stage or in the leaks.
To expand on what others have said (based on my own experience in manufacturing).
Go back 6 months when Apple is finalizing specs for their FaceID sensor system. Engineers have specified +/- 5 microns for a critical component. Engineers are testing modules coming in and finding tolerances from +/- 3 microns all the way up to +/- 12 microns.
Meanwhile the software engineers are also fine tuning the software in the neural engine and are testing the new sensors for accuracy and reliability. They discover their AI software and neural engine are performing better than expected. Testing shows a sensor out by +/- 8 microns has zero affect on the operation of FaceID and the AI can easily compensate for the difference. At +/- 10 microns they find FaceID accuracy starts to deviate slightly.
So they expand the tolerance to +/- 8 microns, but also notify suppliers anything over 8 (even 8.2) will be automatically rejected.
This news report sounds like something that might have occurred early this year in the normal course of testing and verification, but is being trotted out now to imply Apple is sacrificing quality to improve production quantities.
Go back 6 months when Apple is finalizing specs for their FaceID sensor system. Engineers have specified +/- 5 microns for a critical component. Engineers are testing modules coming in and finding tolerances from +/- 3 microns all the way up to +/- 12 microns.
Meanwhile the software engineers are also fine tuning the software in the neural engine and are testing the new sensors for accuracy and reliability. They discover their AI software and neural engine are performing better than expected. Testing shows a sensor out by +/- 8 microns has zero affect on the operation of FaceID and the AI can easily compensate for the difference. At +/- 10 microns they find FaceID accuracy starts to deviate slightly.
So they expand the tolerance to +/- 8 microns, but also notify suppliers anything over 8 (even 8.2) will be automatically rejected.
This news report sounds like something that might have occurred early this year in the normal course of testing and verification, but is being trotted out now to imply Apple is sacrificing quality to improve production quantities.
In my opinion Apple should leave the Face ID as well the Noch. Insteed they should keep the 3D sensor, which works well, and so keeps the identidity Apple. Could be a virtual home button.
For sure I will not buy a iphone with that uggly noch. I have an iphone 7 plus and I don´t care if it has the border edges.
For sure I will not buy a iphone with that uggly noch. I have an iphone 7 plus and I don´t care if it has the border edges.
Yea, because I'd love taking my case off every time I want to unlock my phone.
Well, I would imagine any case would have a hole in the back for the fingerprint scanner
Even if there is -- certainly it is possible -- unless it's done in a scientific testing environment and can be proven to be easily repeatable then it's just a parlor trick. Touch-ID is has a 1 in 50K risk of a non-user being able to open it. Apple claims Face-ID is 1 in 1m. I would think Apple execs, piled high in stock options and prominence, would not make such audacious claims if they could be easily disproven. It would bust the company and take them with it. They have too much to lose here.
Postive rumors with unverified sources: "Yay. Go Apple! I'm excited for such and such device!"
Negative rumor or something bad to say about Apple with unverified sources: "No way this is true. Clickbait!"
Negative rumor or something bad to say about Apple with unverified sources: "No way this is true. Clickbait!"
No. Where’s your proof? Do you have official sales numbers for the iPhone X? Do you know stock levels for stores?
The only fact is you know absolutely NOTHING, except rumors.
FAKE NEWS! But seriously, I don't believe this. I have a feeling Apple will make a statement about this soon, shooting it down.
It's easier to punch first and ask questions later. But people here should know that lowering a standard doesn't mean lowballing a standard. Apple can't afford to have Face-ID be a fail. They have more at risk than any of us buying an X. We can return our X within 2 weeks. Apple execs will never be able to repair the damage they caused to Apple or there prestige by bringing a faulty Face-ID to market. It's why Face-ID will be just fine no matter how Apple might loosen up the sensor standard. Not a big deal other than it might allow more X units into the market faster.
If people aren't buying the iPhone 8 because they want the X, but then the X is in short supply for the rest of the year, then sales will be down because people won't be able to get the device they want and probably won't get the 8 either.
I expect that sales of the 8 will go up after Friday or at least Nov 3, as many people who can't get the X will go for the 8 instead. I think many people are waiting to see if they can get the X, and if not they'll go for the 8.
If people don't know, they are not gonna question that much. It will still raise issues as why Apple did what it did or worried users, but it will be more of a problem if Apple reveals all.
On the other hand, perhaps they won't really mind.. The fact of knowing everything could just mean we know the full extent and therefore use that to our advantage.
i'd rather Apple not comment.. don't play the hands.
Apple declined to comment.... hmmmmm.
Well, companies loosen quality levels all the time in order to get more yields. Of course, it doesn’t always go well when this is done, especially in tech, but Apple most likely calculated and accepted the risk. The potential dollars gained outweigh the potential losses.
The intangible benefits are key as well. Consumers don’t want to wait until well into Q12018 to get their phones. The media, specifically social media, would not be good. Apple has survived manufacturing issues in the past, because the majority of owners were happy with their phones. No one can rave about a phone if they don’t have it. Risky move, Apple, but I’m sure the risks were considered.
Well, companies loosen quality levels all the time in order to get more yields. Of course, it doesn’t always go well when this is done, especially in tech, but Apple most likely calculated and accepted the risk. The potential dollars gained outweigh the potential losses.
The intangible benefits are key as well. Consumers don’t want to wait until well into Q12018 to get their phones. The media, specifically social media, would not be good. Apple has survived manufacturing issues in the past, because the majority of owners were happy with their phones. No one can rave about a phone if they don’t have it. Risky move, Apple, but I’m sure the risks were considered.
Huh? What do sales have to do with production? What does sales have to do with low yields on sensors? If they sell 5 million phones on Friday, and Apple could only make 3 million ready for launch day, that is a production issue. Production of devices usually starts several months before launch day, yet production for the X didn't begin until mid September. FACT.
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Agree 100%. all rumors. I guess iFixit may be able to shed some light when they dismantle the phone, or we will never know, unless we start seeing lots of FaceID failures.
there is always something right before the iPhone launches... production down, production up... now quality down. this is like watching CNN, FoxNews, CNBC altogether.... nothing makes sense
Yep, I was actually agreeing with you.
Yes, the click-driven internet echo chamber is the bane of the world. Each echo seems to add on more drama
Agreed.