And there in lies the rub. Apple are frequently out of touch with how people actually use their phones. We are a three iPhone household. Me, Wife, Daughter. We all know each other's passcodes but also each have a finger registered on the other phones. Super convenient for the exact reasons the author of the email stated. Though there are advantages to FaceID and to TouchID, as time goes by and more users report things, it is becoming apparent that FaceID may not be the best solution. The "one-user-only" thing is enough for me to not want it. FWIW, we are an Apple household all the way and I've had a new iPhone every year since the 4s including an 8 this year. And yes, I could have afforded a X instead of an 8 if I had wanted it.
Apple's current focus with Face ID is on single-user authentication, suggesting support for multiple faces won't be added in the near future, according to an alleged email from the company's software engineering chief Craig Federighi.
By comparison, Touch ID can store up to five fingerprints, and each of those fingerprints can belong to a different person. This allows a married couple, for example, to be able to securely authenticate a single iPhone.
In an email to a customer, however, Federighi appears to admit that Touch ID's multi-finger support has always been intended for a single iPhone owner to authenticate with a finger or thumb on both the left and right hand if desired.
Federighi added that Face ID could eventually authenticate multiple faces as the system evolves in the future, but his email makes it clear that Apple doesn't have any immediate plans to implement said functionality.
MacRumors since publishing this article has received full headers that verify this email, originally shared on Reddit. We can confirm the email originates from Apple's servers at its headquarters in Cupertino, California.
A screenshot of Craig Federighi's alleged email response to a customer
Apple says Face ID has a one in 1,000,000 chance of a false match, compared to one in 50,000 for Touch ID, although the probability is higher among identical twins, siblings who look alike, and children.
Vietnamese security firm Bkav has also been able to spoof Face ID twice with 3D printed masks, but the steps involved are quite complex and this isn't something the average user should be very concerned about.
In practical, real-world usage, Face ID has proved to be very secure and reliable. But, at least for now, it appears that iPhone X owners won't be able to extend this convenience to their trusted family members or friends.
Article Link: Craig Federighi: Apple Focused on Single-User Face ID, Touch ID Was Never Intended for Multiple Users
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Craig Federighi: Apple Focused on Single-User Face ID, Touch ID Was Never Intended for Multiple Users
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You hit if off the ball-park, Mechinyun.
Craig was being less than truthful: the real response points to a hardware limitation on today's FaceID (Release 1.0) -- maybe due to the complexity upped by multiple facial contexts, or maybe due to engineering bounds on the speed of recognition, or ...
Eventually, I agree, FaceID (Release 2.0), will support multi-face recognition and authentication.
Why?
Because if FaceID is to be engineered to support a multi-user system (like TouchID under macOS does today), it will require secure multi-face authentication.
I find it interesting that Craig took just 7 minutes to respond to my e-mail. He must be one of those zero in-box guys.
Do you really think he was the one answering? As opposed to Craig's support "in behalf of..."
OK.
ANYONE WHO AGREES A CELL PHONE IS A PERSONAL DEVICE, PLEASE LIKE THIS POST.
(sorry for yelling, just wanted to get your attention. Plesee take it as the loud music played by the ice cream man
)
It's a primary feature on a $1,000 phone. Is it really too much to ask?
Many married couples use each other's phones quite frequently so it is certainly a problem with a very simple solution.
As opossed to who exactly? Absolutely I believe Federighi answered this email. He has answered numerous emails to other clientele and consumers with questions in the past. Not to mention, Steve Jobs, Phil Schiller and even Tim Cook has been known to reply directly to the customer with questions. It's not completely abnormal for them to reach out to someone who has a concern or question. It would also depend on the context of the question and overall if they are permitted to reply based on what is being asked of them.
For the record, there have been multiple forum members on here who have had personal emails from Tim Cook regarding hardware concerns, product inquiries and or general concerns. It's call customer service and Apple does respond based on material that they can discuss.
Same here. My requirement for my kids to have a phone is one of those Touch ID slots is reserved for me.
Worst case scenario...your kid disappears, without her phone. With Touch ID you can get into her phone..with Face ID you can’t unless you record that Long password somewhere.
Since you’re the parent, you should choose the password, long or otherwise.
Your child will have no difficulty remembering it
Same.
In fact, I once registered one of my toes as well. (You know, just in case...) It worked just the same.
Don't judge.
Just one of the reasons I'm glad I never married again (again).
Well, Apple would be much happier if everyone you know had their own i-device(s), so why would they make it easy for you to share a single device. Realistically though, no one will share an iPhone. iPad, on the other hand, can definitely be a shared device in the family. Apple can easily implement multiple user profiles on the iPad, but they don't, so that you can buy an iPad for each family member
Rich bastard!
lol.
Wish I had your problems.
My thoughts, a lot of complaining here around edge cases. Why would Apple even bother.
So you do understand the convenience of Touch ID or Face ID vs a passcode. And I'd never say I couldn't possible turn my head to the right and glance at the phone to unlock it. At the end of the day we are talking about a convenience! No one is claiming that it's absolutely essential to the usability of the iPhone. Convenience. There's a reason beyond security you enjoy Touch ID or Face ID. Feel free to express all the different ways you can unlock it in different scenarios by using a passcode and all you're going to be doing is emphasizing my point that having that second person just look or touch the phone for a split second is more convenient.
Apple's intentions are one thing, the users dictate even more. I'm as big of a proponent of apple as any, but for people to argue a step back in this regard seems ridiculous. Apple has done an amazing job over the years of appropriately implementing the solution to a problem in such a way that makes sense and evolves. This is one of the few times where I think they actually took a step back. It's in a really small way, but for some it's a step back. Can anyone think of other ways? Removing ports on computers usually has a reasoning to some extent. My thoughts is that with Face ID, it was really important to be fast from the beginning. As the speed improves with time, they'll implement it checking multiple faces.
He's right. If you had Touch ID for two people, you'd need two accounts, just like a computer. Settings different, etc. Face ID is the same. And if you want your mate to be able to use your phone, give them the passcode.