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Attention Aware FaceID not working?

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WilliamG

macrumors G4
Original poster
Mar 29, 2008
10,011
3,894
Seattle
On my iPhone X and iPhone XS Max, if my eyes aren’t looking at the device, FaceID doesn’t work.

On the iPad 11”, though, I can look absolutely anywhere with my eyes if and my face can even be not directly facing the iPad, and it will still unlock. Is that a bug, or what is going on?
 
WilliamG said:
Yes. My suspicion is that all the new iPads behave the same, but nobody will confirm/deny this (as of yet).
Click to expand...

I can't recreate this with my 11" IPP. I made sure my face was relaxed (not grimacing) as I had my eyes closed but my left eye open a tiny bit so I could see what was happening. I tried unlocking and failed. I tried two more times by swiping up and those attempts failed. When I then opened my eyes and swiped up one last time it unlocked. I did this in landscape mode.
 
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MisterSavage said:
I can't recreate this with my 11" IPP. I made sure my face was relaxed (not grimacing) as I had my eyes closed but my left eye open a tiny bit so I could see what was happening. I tried unlocking and failed. I tried two more times by swiping up and those attempts failed. When I then opened my eyes and swiped up one last time it unlocked. I did this in landscape mode.
Click to expand...

I tested your method and mine doesn’t unlock, either, but that’s not the issue I’m having anyway! Keep both your eyes open but look nowhere near the iPad. You’ll still be able to unlock it.
 
WilliamG said:
I tested your method and mine doesn’t unlock, either, but that’s not the issue I’m having anyway! Keep both your eyes open but look nowhere near the iPad. You’ll still be able to unlock it.
Click to expand...

I just tried this and mine stays locked if I’m looking away, until I focus my attention on the iPad, as expected.
 
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WilliamG said:
I tested your method and mine doesn’t unlock, either, but that’s not the issue I’m having anyway! Keep both your eyes open but look nowhere near the iPad. You’ll still be able to unlock it.
Click to expand...

Ok now I see what you're saying. If I'm looking at the ceiling it does unlock.
 
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MisterSavage said:
Ok now I see what you're saying. If I'm looking at the ceiling it does unlock.
Click to expand...

Yep. Now, the question is whether this matters or not... I know on the iPhone this simply doesn’t behave the same way. You have to be pretty focused toward the screen to unlock it.

Either way, clearly you don’t need to give the iPad anywhere near your actual attention to unlock it. And that, for me, is clearly not working as I would intend it.
[doublepost=1552454853][/doublepost]
blasto2236 said:
I just tried this and mine stays locked if I’m looking away, until I focus my attention on the iPad, as expected.
Click to expand...

You’re sure? You can have your face toward the iPad but your actual eyes not looking at it, and it won’t unlock?
 
WilliamG said:
Yep. Now, the question is whether this matters or not... I know on the iPhone this simply doesn’t behave the same way. You have to be pretty focused toward the screen to unlock it.

Either way, clearly you don’t need to give the iPad anywhere near your actual attention to unlock it. And that, for me, is clearly not working as I would intend it.
[doublepost=1552454853][/doublepost]

You’re sure? You can have your face toward the iPad but your actual eyes not looking at it, and it won’t unlock?
Click to expand...

100% positive.
 
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WilliamG said:
Yep. Now, the question is whether this matters or not... I know on the iPhone this simply doesn’t behave the same way. You have to be pretty focused toward the screen to unlock it.

Either way, clearly you don’t need to give the iPad anywhere near your actual attention to unlock it. And that, for me, is clearly not working as I would intend it.
[doublepost=1552454853][/doublepost]

You’re sure? You can have your face toward the iPad but your actual eyes not looking at it, and it won’t unlock?
Click to expand...

I would assume that FaceID for iPads and iPhones is calibrated differently. Most people don't keep their iPads near the face like they do with a phone. It makes sense to me that the iPad captures the face differently. I have no idea if it makes the iPad less secure.
 
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12.9 3rd gen.

I have the tablet on a Logitech 780, so it slants way back.

I can relax/lean back in the chair I’m in and as long as i am facing the tablet, it will unlock—assuming nothing is blocking the camera.. and it will tell you if something is. I also wear glasses if that matters here.

I agree with @Whoakapi , in that the tablet may be calibrated differently vs the iphone. I’m an android user so i cant test with an iphone.
 
It makes sense that the iPad is calibrated differently. It’s larger, has to work in landscape mode etc.

It’s just definitely disingenuous to call it “Attention Aware” when you don’t have to even be particularly looking at the device to unlock it.
 
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I agree that it is way more “forgiving” on the iPad Pro but for me that has actually been pretty nice. I am consistently annoyed with how perfectly I have to be holding my iPhone XS Max to get it to unlock. Also, is this some kind of issue? As long as it doesn’t open with someone else’s face than I am happy.
 
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I agree that it's way more forgiving, but it does work. If I'm looking away from the iPad it does seem to unlock. But as soon as my eyes are closed, it won't unlock. On my phone, I need to basically be looking at it, but with the iPad, it seems my gaze can wander quite a bit more. Still, the eyes closed test tells me it actually is working, just not the same as my phone.
 
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Right. I don’t really have a problem with how it works generally, but it’s clearly not requiring my “Attention” to unlock. I suppose for consistency across devices Apple just calls it “Attention Aware,” - I just don’t like that they do.
 
As long as the iPad Pro can't be tricked with a photo I suppose it's secure enough?

Did anyone test this?
 
Interesting I haven't took much notice of face I.d via 11"
Only difficulty I have is until Smart Keyboard is ordered as I'm limited to using iPad in it's original box which more often than not brings up 'face cameraI.d is covered' alert.
What a beautiful camera!
 
I just tried this on my 12.9 inch. While working in landscape and on my desk, it seems to work ok and does not unlock until I am looking reasonably close to my iPad.

However, holding the 12.9 in portrait, it does not even matter what direction I am looking and how far off. It will unlock.

I’ll have to test more, but my guess is that in order for Face ID to work on iPad. it HAS to be more forgiving with where your face is positioned and the direction you looking. On the iPad, the number of different angles in which you are looking at it are probably wildly different than what it might be on your iphone. Take for instance using it in your lap: your face is so far off center from Face ID that it probably has to use partial scans to verify your face. I just might be totally wrong though I don’t really know.

I wonder how less secure the system may be as a result.
 
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GrindedDown said:
I just tried this on my 12.9 inch. While working in landscape and on my desk, it seems to work ok and does not unlock until I am looking reasonably close to my iPad.

However, holding the 12.9 in portrait, it does not even matter what direction I am looking and how far off. It will unlock.

I’ll have to test more, but my guess is that in order for Face ID to work on iPad. it HAS to be more forgiving with where your face is positioned and the direction you looking. On the iPad, the number of different angles in which you are looking at it are probably wildly different than what it might be on your iphone. Take for instance using it in your lap: your face is so far off center from Face ID that it probably has to use partial scans to verify your face. I just might be totally wrong though I don’t really know.

I wonder how less secure the system may be as a result.
Click to expand...

I don’t think it’s less secure. Since it can unlock from more angles they probably made it less strict in keeping track of eye status.
 
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