iPhone X Face ID is crap....

[sean000]

I am a side/abdomen sleeper and use phone while lying that way and it just wont identify my face. Kind of annoying

Same thing here, but as long as I lift my head a little it works. Overall it works better for me than TouchID. The latter never worked with my left thumb, or when my fingers were slightly damp, or when wearing gloves. I’d say FaceID has had a higher success rate for me, and it feels faster and more convenient for unlocking the iPhone or secure apps. I’m a big FaceID fan. Wish my iPad Pro had it.

 

[adamhenry]

[doublepost=1514785843][/doublepost]I totally agree. Worst rushed product Apple has ever made. You can see glimpses of the future of smart phones but this device is far from polished. Face ID works great for auto fill and signing into apps. Except when you have to inexplicably double tap the sleep wake button to activate it I.E. for app purchases. When it works it’s magic, too bad for me it only works about 65% of the time. I run beta software on older devices to always see what is on the horizon but for my daily driver I don’t want to feel as if I’m beta testing an entire phone.

My experience couldn't be more different. I have RTW set and with FID, it seems like I have a phone that never locks. I had to put my passcode in for the first time in 3weeks yesterday and was wondering what went wrong.

 

[tomd25]

Generally, I'm really impressed by Face ID. I would say it works more reliably than Touch ID for me in day to day use (my last phone was a 6s so not the latest gen sensor), and haven't really had any problems unlocking it in bed etc. The ability to glance at the phone to preview the notifications feels really futuristic. The one issue I have noticed is that really strong sunlight seems to cause issues, I guess because there's too much light. I've only had this once, on a really sunny winters day by the seaside.

Couple of things I'd like to change about it:

1. It would be great to be able to only show notifications when you are looking at the phone, even when it is unlocked. Currently, if the phone is unlocked and notifications are set up to show when unlocked, it will always show the contents of a message regardless of who is looking at it, which almost caused a slightly awkward situation recently when I handed someone else my phone to look at photos – I was under the impression notifications would hide the preview if I wasn't actively looking at the phone. This makes sense, but it would be great to have the option. Of course, there are probably reasons why this could be problematic, e.g. battery life.

2. Face ID isn't natural to use when your phone is flat on a desk. You either have to lean over awkwardly, or tilt the phone up, whereas with Touch ID you could just touch to unlock. Incidentally, a back fingerprint scanner wouldn't solve this use case, so I think Apple might the right decision by focussing purely on Face ID and making it as a good as possible. I was wondering whether a wider angle front lens could solve this issue - if you look at the selfie camera output, it wouldn't have to be that much wider angle to capture your face in most "on desk" scenarios. Of course, this might have the knock on of making selfies look less attractive, so maybe it would call for a second camera lens just for Face ID?

It's not a huge deal, as when I am developing apps (which requires frequent unlocking) I have the phone tilted so it can see me, so I can just glance at it to unlock when launching a new build from Xcode (which feels very futuristic!), but it would be nice to have a solution, and I can't imagine Apple adding Touch ID back in even when under-screen fingerprint readers become a thing – it would feel like admitting Face ID wasn't perfect, which isn't very Apple!

 

[rugmankc]

Works great for me---would never want the home button back---

 

[cappo3]

I set up FaceID yesterday.
I think it is slow at best (it feels even slower than the TouchID 1st gen of the iPhone 6...) and often it just does not work.
Yesterday evening I wanted to use the phone while lying in bed. Tried to unlock it with FaceID to no avail, until it explicitly asked for the passcode. I then locked it again and tried once more. Nothing, just haptic feedback and a sad dancing lock on the screen. Frustrating! I am back to the passcode, which I will probably deactivate anyway since I find it so annoying.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

I guess I must be lucky. The only scenario where FaceID doesn’t work for me is when laying flat on my desk. But then again I don’t look at my phone like that anyway.

But everything else, including laying down on my side in bed works perfectly fine. I’m very surprised to hear it isn’t working for some.

 

[mproudfoot]

I hate FaceID with a passion - missing my old iPhone 7 after more than a month with the X. I would say I have around a 50% success rate with FaceID and if I'm outdoors with a pair of shades, or wearing a beanie, that drops even lower. I've found myself having to use a pin to unlock so many times, I feel like I've gone back a tech level rather than forward.

If this is the future of the iPhone, I feel this may be the year that I may seriously reconsider my options when it's time to change phone. I get that it works for many (most?) people but given that so many preferred using TouchID (or that TouchID is more convenient in some scenarios), both on the same device would be perfect.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I hate FaceID with a passion - missing my old iPhone 7 after more than a month with the X. I would say I have around a 50% success rate with FaceID and if I'm outdoors with a pair of shades, or wearing a beanie, that drops even lower. I've found myself having to use a pin to unlock so many times, I feel like I've gone back a tech level rather than forward.

If this is the future of the iPhone, I feel this may be the year that I may seriously reconsider my options when it's time to change phone. I get that it works for many (most?) people but given that so many preferred using TouchID (or that TouchID is more convenient in some scenarios), both on the same device would be perfect.

It’s winter here so I don’t know how it would fare in bright sunlight but I’ve been wearing a silly hat due to the weather at it works fine.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

It’s winter here so I don’t know how it would fare in bright sunlight but I’ve been wearing a silly hat due to the weather at it works fine.

It’s bright sunshine here in Australia 37 with clear blue skies It was snowing heavily in the U.K. a few weeks ago. And it was freezing (think -16) in Warsaw early December.

Face ID works perfectly under all circumstances and clothing.

 

[The Game 161]

do like how Face ID works perfectly on my bedside table on my wireless charging stand from Samsung that stands up..perfect to check notifications. It's why a standing ups wireless charger is what I would use for when I got bed.

Face ID then is never an issue.

 

[OutSpoken]

And this surprises you why?

This whole post reads like someone who just wants to rant against face ID but has never used it. That may not be the case, but man that's exactly how it sounds. My Face ID has been over 95% accurate so far the majority of the times it fails is when I'm at the desk and it is sitting there laying flat, or I am laying in bed. Other than that it pretty much just works all the time.

It surprises me since isnt face id supposed to be constantly learning your facial changes? You know like... if you grow your hair, cut it off, wear different glasses (non polarised). Makeup, facepaint etc all of these changes shouldnt prompt a face id reset.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

It surprises me since isnt face id supposed to be constantly learning your facial changes? You know like... if you grow your hair, cut it off, wear different glasses (non polarised). Makeup, facepaint etc all of these changes shouldnt prompt a face id reset.

And for me it does 100%, including my polarised sunnies.

 

[fred98tj]

Mine works perfectly also under all conditions, inside, outside, sun, shade, dark room, with contacts, without contacts, with glasses, without glasses, with sunglasses and without. Lying flat on a table. Just bloody works. For me works much better than TouchID on my 7 Plus.

 

[tarsins]

"It just works." It does, pretty much 100%.

 

[OutSpoken]

And for me it does 100%, including my polarised sunnies.

Thats interesting, when i tested my X with my rayban sunnies it couldn’t detect my face but then i tested with a cheap pair of sunnies which i assume doesn’t have proper uv sun ray protection and it worked fine hmm...

My X is a great phone but it’s definitely not without its faults, face id being one of them.

 

[akash.nu]

Thats interesting, when i tested my X with my rayban sunnies it couldn’t detect my face but then i tested with a cheap pair of sunnies which i assume doesn’t have proper uv sun ray protection and it worked fine hmm...

My X is a great phone but it’s definitely not without its faults, face id being one of them.

Polarised lenses reflect too much light, that’s what messes up the algorithm. In situations where this is not the case, it should work.

 

[tomd25]

For those who are struggling - try resetting it and retraining, with one of the two scans from down near your waist (so it can just see your face). Mine was pretty good before but seems much quicker and more reliable now, especially with unusual angles.

 

[deuxani]

I really think the people who have a low success rate of unlocking their phone with FaceID either haven't set it up correctly or their phone must be defective, because like many here I have a success rate of above 90%. It's very weird how experiences can be so vastly different. Mine works inside, outside, bright sunlight, pitch dark, Ray-Ban sunglasses, beard, no beard, in bed, etc. I don't even notice FaceID is there because it just works.

Like tomd25 said, have you tried resetting it and not setting it up with the phone right in front of your face, but more from below or the natural position you would normally unlock your phone from?

 

[0014]

The only time I seem to have an issue is if really bright sunlight (I live in the Middle East) is shining on the phone and I try to unlock it.

However it is getting less and less as I always enter the passcode at the request. So it seems to be learning what I look like when the Sun is shining on the phone screen.

 

[tsturbo]

The only time I seem to have an issue is if really bright sunlight (I live in the Middle East) is shining on the phone and I try to unlock it.

However it is getting less and less as I always enter the passcode at the request. So it seems to be learning what I look like when the Sun is shining on the phone screen.

Is the United Kingdom now a part of the Middle East?

 

[Raist3001]

I really think the people who have a low success rate of unlocking their phone with FaceID either haven't set it up correctly or their phone must be defective, because like many here I have a success rate of above 90%.

Hard to read comments from folks who lay blame on the user when a magical feature from apple does not seem to be working properly. Nothing will work 100 percent for everyone and its not too hard to understand why. FaceID in its current form in my opinion is a beta product. No one should have to re-scan their face multiple times to get better reads. I never had to re-scan my fingerprints. I love what FaceID offers, I love what it can do.....when it works. TouchID was so much more reliable for me. Thing is, I never had to think about unlocking my iPhone with TouchID. A wet finger is so rare, it really is not worth mentioning at all. With FaceID, if my X fails to unlock, I need to re-think how to re-position my phone. That's annoying. My success rate is about 80-85 percent. With TouchId my success rate was 99 percent. Accounting for the one percent of times I had a wet finger. I am greatly looking forward to generation 2 of FaceID which is rumored to be in the next iPhone. this is not a rant against FaceID. I want FaceID to succeed. Right now its a beta feature.

 

[Allyance]

For the user that claims only 50% success rate, do you open with password or just keep trying? FID learns from failures and should improve. If you don't use your password after a failure, you are doomed. FID works for me just about all the time, if not, then I realize I have done something that puts it out range.

 

[rugmankc]

Hard to read comments from folks who lay blame on the user when a magical feature from apple does not seem to be working properly. Nothing will work 100 percent for everyone and its not too hard to understand why. FaceID in its current form in my opinion is a beta product. No one should have to re-scan their face multiple times to get better reads. I never had to re-scan my fingerprints. I love what FaceID offers, I love what it can do.....when it works. TouchID was so much more reliable for me. Thing is, I never had to think about unlocking my iPhone with TouchID. A wet finger is so rare, it really is not worth mentioning at all. With FaceID, if my X fails to unlock, I need to re-think how to re-position my phone. That's annoying. My success rate is about 80-85 percent. With TouchId my success rate was 99 percent. Accounting for the one percent of times I had a wet finger. I am greatly looking forward to generation 2 of FaceID which is rumored to be in the next iPhone. this is not a rant against FaceID. I want FaceID to succeed. Right now its a beta feature.

I had to rescan my fingerprints occasionally on my 6s Plus. And my thumb never worked more than 2 days and stopped. Failure rate of FID is no more than my Home Button. Maybe better. Were it excels is with Apple Pay and Passwords. It is virtually instantaneous for me. Maybe OP has bad sensors. But, by no means is FID "crap", as most users are very happy with it. IMHO---

I went into the purchase of the X with uncertainty as my playing with store demos was somewhat disappointing. But, FID and gestures have worked beyond my expectations. And, watching movies has been great.

 

[Raist3001]

Were it excels is with Apple Pay and Passwords. It is virtually instantaneous for me.

Definitely. And this is where I love FID. It's instant in these situations. And funny enough, usually always works to authenticate me.

But, by no means is FID "crap", as most users are very happy with it. IMHO---

I've expressed as much before as well. No way is FID crap. Just in my opinion at least as fast as the first gen TID.

But, FID and gestures have worked beyond my expectations. And, watching movies has been great.

While my mileage differs for FID in terms of unlocking, the gestures have worked great for me as well. As a matter of fact with iOS 11, I have been using nothing but gestures with my iPad Pro. SO much so, that this was one of the reasons I decided to upgrade to the X.

 

[zhandri]

Polarised lenses reflect too much light, that’s what messes up the algorithm. In situations where this is not the case, it should work.

polarized lenses are not the problem... i have 3 pair of polarized and each one works fine. some lenses just filter more IR

"It turns out that polarization isn’t the issue — I have a set of polarized sunglasses that work just fine with Face ID. What it is is that different lenses have a different amount of infrared filtration. Most let enough IR through that through most lenses your eyes are visible to IR even if they’re not visible to the human eye" Craig Federighi