iPhone X Face ID is Preventing Me From Buying an iPhone X - Anyone Else?

[boltjames]

Let me first say that I think Face ID will function as advertised. That's not my issue. My issue is that there are specific situations where the phone isn't in my hand and getting my face where it needs to be simply won't work. Some examples:

I'm in meetings all day and frequently need to quietly check an email or two; Face ID would require me to pick up the phone to look at it or lean forward in an obvious manner, tipping off the person speaking.

I commute by car each day and use a vent mount to hold my phone; Face ID would require me to do neck gymnastics to get my eyes oriented over the center console to unlock it if I'm getting gas or am parked in a queue to pick up my son after school.

At my desk, my iPhone lies flat about 8 inches away from the keyboard. To wake the phone I merely press the home button. To unlock it I keep pressing. With Face ID to wake the phone lying flat on the desk I need to use my whole hand to grip the phone and hit the side button with my thumb. If I then want to unlock it I need to pick it up and point it at my face.

I have a beach house and am full of sticky sunscreen and sand as I sit in my chair with my phone lying flat on the armrest. With Touch ID all I have to do is keep my pointer finger clean to unlock the phone. With Face ID I have to grab the entire phone with my dirty hand, get the case full of oily chemicals, and get the case full of gritty sand merely to check for a text message notification which I tend to do every 15 minutes.

I use Apple Pay constantly and the new behavior adds steps and complexity. With Touch ID all I have to do is slide my hand in my pocket, pull it out by the thumb, and before the phone hits the wireless terminal it's already unlocked and authenticated. With Face ID it takes twice as long to double click buttons, raise the phone to my face, etc.

I'm not afraid of the technology. I believe it will function as advertised. What I'm saying is that there is nothing convenient about Face ID except almost exclusively for situations where the phone is in your hand. And for my usecases at least 50% of the time my phone is not in my hand when I need to unlock it. So it will prevent me from buying a X. Which is a shame because I like the new screen and I like the new gestures and am bored of the 6/7/8 form factor.

 

[Nozuka]

just one sidenote:
you do not need to press the sidebutton or lift the phone to wake up the screen. with the X you can just tap the screen.

not going to comment on the rest until i have some real world experience.

 

[applesith]

I have similar concerns about Face ID as well. I've become very used to being able to unlock the phone with Touch ID without having to worry about looking at my phone. There's no doubt that Face ID is much more "needy" way to unlock a phone.

 

[1Zach1]

Let me first say that I think Face ID will function as advertised. That's not my issue. My issue is that there are specific situations where the phone isn't in my hand and getting my face where it needs to be simply won't work. Some examples:

I'm in meetings all day and frequently need to quietly check an email or two; Face ID would require me to pick up the phone to look at it or lean forward in an obvious manner, tipping off the person speaking.
Tap to wake

I commute by car each day and use a vent mount to hold my phone; Face ID would require me to do neck gymnastics to get my eyes oriented over the center console to unlock it if I'm getting gas or am parked in a queue to pick up my son after school.
I don't know how close/straight on FaceID will require, but I can understand how this could be annoying

At my desk, my iPhone lies flat about 8 inches away from the keyboard. To wake the phone I merely press the home button. To unlock it I keep pressing. With Face ID to wake the phone lying flat on the desk I need to use my whole hand to grip the phone and hit the side button with my thumb. If I then want to unlock it I need to pick it up and point it at my face.
Tap to wake. Picking the phone up to unlock it doesn't seem like it's an issue here, since you're unlocking it to use it, which you need to pick it up to do anyways.

I have a beach house and am full of sticky sunscreen and sand as I sit in my chair with my phone lying flat on the armrest. With Touch ID all I have to do is keep my pointer finger clean to unlock the phone. With Face ID I have to grab the entire phone with my dirty hand, get the case full of oily chemicals, and get the case full of gritty sand merely to check for a text message notification which I tend to do every 15 minutes.
Tap to wake

I use Apple Pay constantly and the new behavior adds steps and complexity. With Touch ID all I have to do is slide my hand in my pocket, pull it out by the thumb, and before the phone hits the wireless terminal it's already unlocked and authenticated. With Face ID it takes twice as long to double click buttons, raise the phone to my face, etc.
Double click the button and use FaceID while in line, then tap the payment terminal after everything has been checked. You're effectively preloading the work for while you sit in line.

I'm not afraid of the technology. I believe it will function as advertised. What I'm saying is that there is nothing convenient about Face ID except almost exclusively for situations where the phone is in your hand. And for my usecases at least 50% of the time my phone is not in my hand when I need to unlock it. So it will prevent me from buying a X. Which is a shame because I like the new screen and I like the new gestures and am bored of the 6/7/8 form factor.

I'm sure the X isn't for everybody, so feel free to not get it, but just some responses to your specific examples in bold.

 

[Rayban]

All valid points but I have no real concern here. I'm ready to embrace the future.

 

[soulreaver99]

You could always just tap in your numerical unlock code...

 

[nviz22]

FaceID is one of the few things preventing me from purchasing the iPhone X as well, in addition to price. I just wanted a fluid motion with facial detection instantaneously opening up a phone after the power button is pressed. However, that didn't happen and I not in the market for the X now.

 

[Bane-Thunder]

Firstly you can wake the screen by tapping the screen.

Secondly, we have to wait for the phone to be out and experienced by day to day users to know how well FaceID works so stop making assumptions.

 

[Danbrown521]

My wife went with a iphone 8, because of fear of face ID. She reads up on all the conspiracy theories of the government or other agencies spying on our lives through cameras. We've went around and around about not putting tape on my MacBook camera. I'm a full time nursing student, a father of 3, and a husband. Nothing so interesting going on here for someone to watch me. lol

 

[BeeGood]

Let me first say that I think Face ID will function as advertised. That's not my issue. My issue is that there are specific situations where the phone isn't in my hand and getting my face where it needs to be simply won't work. Some examples:

I'm in meetings all day and frequently need to quietly check an email or two; Face ID would require me to pick up the phone to look at it or lean forward in an obvious manner, tipping off the person speaking.

I commute by car each day and use a vent mount to hold my phone; Face ID would require me to do neck gymnastics to get my eyes oriented over the center console to unlock it if I'm getting gas or am parked in a queue to pick up my son after school.

At my desk, my iPhone lies flat about 8 inches away from the keyboard. To wake the phone I merely press the home button. To unlock it I keep pressing. With Face ID to wake the phone lying flat on the desk I need to use my whole hand to grip the phone and hit the side button with my thumb. If I then want to unlock it I need to pick it up and point it at my face.

I have a beach house and am full of sticky sunscreen and sand as I sit in my chair with my phone lying flat on the armrest. With Touch ID all I have to do is keep my pointer finger clean to unlock the phone. With Face ID I have to grab the entire phone with my dirty hand, get the case full of oily chemicals, and get the case full of gritty sand merely to check for a text message notification which I tend to do every 15 minutes.

I use Apple Pay constantly and the new behavior adds steps and complexity. With Touch ID all I have to do is slide my hand in my pocket, pull it out by the thumb, and before the phone hits the wireless terminal it's already unlocked and authenticated. With Face ID it takes twice as long to double click buttons, raise the phone to my face, etc.

I'm not afraid of the technology. I believe it will function as advertised. What I'm saying is that there is nothing convenient about Face ID except almost exclusively for situations where the phone is in your hand. And for my usecases at least 50% of the time my phone is not in my hand when I need to unlock it. So it will prevent me from buying a X. Which is a shame because I like the new screen and I like the new gestures and am bored of the 6/7/8 form factor.

As others have said, tap to wake helps to mitigate some of these issues, but I do agree with the gist of your post. I’m concerned that the iPhone X implementation of FaceID will be less convenient than TouchID. And I’m not sure about the gestures that will replace home button functionality.

 

[patricem]

I hate TouchID. It rarely works for me. Extremely frustrating and bogs me down trying over and over and over, only to then have to enter the code. Hold the phone up? It turns on? This I need and one of the main reason I want to purchase the X.

 

[JaisHTX]

Let me first say that I think Face ID will function as advertised. That's not my issue. My issue is that there are specific situations where the phone isn't in my hand and getting my face where it needs to be simply won't work. Some examples:

I'm in meetings all day and frequently need to quietly check an email or two; Face ID would require me to pick up the phone to look at it or lean forward in an obvious manner, tipping off the person speaking.

I commute by car each day and use a vent mount to hold my phone; Face ID would require me to do neck gymnastics to get my eyes oriented over the center console to unlock it if I'm getting gas or am parked in a queue to pick up my son after school.

At my desk, my iPhone lies flat about 8 inches away from the keyboard. To wake the phone I merely press the home button. To unlock it I keep pressing. With Face ID to wake the phone lying flat on the desk I need to use my whole hand to grip the phone and hit the side button with my thumb. If I then want to unlock it I need to pick it up and point it at my face.

I have a beach house and am full of sticky sunscreen and sand as I sit in my chair with my phone lying flat on the armrest. With Touch ID all I have to do is keep my pointer finger clean to unlock the phone. With Face ID I have to grab the entire phone with my dirty hand, get the case full of oily chemicals, and get the case full of gritty sand merely to check for a text message notification which I tend to do every 15 minutes.

I use Apple Pay constantly and the new behavior adds steps and complexity. With Touch ID all I have to do is slide my hand in my pocket, pull it out by the thumb, and before the phone hits the wireless terminal it's already unlocked and authenticated. With Face ID it takes twice as long to double click buttons, raise the phone to my face, etc.

I'm not afraid of the technology. I believe it will function as advertised. What I'm saying is that there is nothing convenient about Face ID except almost exclusively for situations where the phone is in your hand. And for my usecases at least 50% of the time my phone is not in my hand when I need to unlock it. So it will prevent me from buying a X. Which is a shame because I like the new screen and I like the new gestures and am bored of the 6/7/8 form factor.

Sounds like you should stick with the 8+ with all your concerns and wait it out. Or switch to Samsung.

 

[DaveOP]

Let me first say that I think Face ID will function as advertised. That's not my issue. My issue is that there are specific situations where the phone isn't in my hand and getting my face where it needs to be simply won't work. Some examples:

I'm in meetings all day and frequently need to quietly check an email or two; Face ID would require me to pick up the phone to look at it or lean forward in an obvious manner, tipping off the person speaking.

I commute by car each day and use a vent mount to hold my phone; Face ID would require me to do neck gymnastics to get my eyes oriented over the center console to unlock it if I'm getting gas or am parked in a queue to pick up my son after school.

At my desk, my iPhone lies flat about 8 inches away from the keyboard. To wake the phone I merely press the home button. To unlock it I keep pressing. With Face ID to wake the phone lying flat on the desk I need to use my whole hand to grip the phone and hit the side button with my thumb. If I then want to unlock it I need to pick it up and point it at my face.

I have a beach house and am full of sticky sunscreen and sand as I sit in my chair with my phone lying flat on the armrest. With Touch ID all I have to do is keep my pointer finger clean to unlock the phone. With Face ID I have to grab the entire phone with my dirty hand, get the case full of oily chemicals, and get the case full of gritty sand merely to check for a text message notification which I tend to do every 15 minutes.

I use Apple Pay constantly and the new behavior adds steps and complexity. With Touch ID all I have to do is slide my hand in my pocket, pull it out by the thumb, and before the phone hits the wireless terminal it's already unlocked and authenticated. With Face ID it takes twice as long to double click buttons, raise the phone to my face, etc.

I'm not afraid of the technology. I believe it will function as advertised. What I'm saying is that there is nothing convenient about Face ID except almost exclusively for situations where the phone is in your hand. And for my usecases at least 50% of the time my phone is not in my hand when I need to unlock it. So it will prevent me from buying a X. Which is a shame because I like the new screen and I like the new gestures and am bored of the 6/7/8 form factor.

I get the impression that is works at various angles, and you don't have to pick the phone up and point it at your face. They demo'd someone doing this out of a swimming pool. I would wait until reviews drop next month, I really don't think Apple would release it if it was as terrible as you make it out to be.

 

[OllyW]

Try it when it comes out. You can always return it if it doesn't work out for you.

 

[boltjames]

As others have said, tap to wake helps to mitigate some of these issues, but I do agree with the gist of your post.

Thank you for that clarification, tapping to wake the phone while it lies flat is a step in the right direction.
[doublepost=1506521536][/doublepost]

Try it when it comes out. You can always return it if it doesn't work out for you.

This is a good option but the local Apple store has the 8 256GB Space Grey in stock and waiting another month or two to upgrade from my three year old 6 is a challenge.
[doublepost=1506521747][/doublepost]

I'm sure the X isn't for everybody, so feel free to not get it, but just some responses to your specific examples in bold.

Thank you for the clarifications and tap to wake helps, but if I have a device flat on a conference table and tap to see that I have a text I need to respond to, I still am in the awkward position of either picking it up or leaning my face over the table in order to engage Face ID. This will tip off the rest of the people in the meeting that I'm not entirely paying attention, and this happens to me several times a day.

 

[OllyW]

This is a good option but the local Apple store has the 8 256GB Space Grey in stock and waiting another month or two to upgrade from my three year old 6 is a challenge.

I've just upgraded my 6 to a 8+, it's a great upgrade if you don't mind the familiar looks.

 

[tkukoc]

Face ID isn't the only thing stopping me from getting the X. The screen is just to small when compared to the Plus sizes. I just can't see myself dropping what I already have for something smaller.

 

[Sheboygan]

I am holding off on the X due to Face ID until millions and millions of users help Apple to make it as usable as Touch ID. Face ID may need to be augmented with something like Touch ID. As I see it now, Face ID will require me to interact with the device in ways I don't or don't want to.

 

[chabig]

I'm in meetings all day and frequently need to quietly check an email or two...

How do you propose to read the email without looking at the screen? If you can see the phone, it can see you.

Face ID would require me to do neck gymnastics to get my eyes oriented over the center console to unlock it...

If you can see it, it can see you.

With Touch ID all I have to do is slide my hand in my pocket, pull it out by the thumb, and before the phone hits the wireless terminal it's already unlocked and authenticated. With Face ID it takes twice as long to double click buttons, raise the phone to my face, etc.

First, you don't have to unlock your phone to use Apple Pay. Where FaceID takes twice as long is unknown, but I doubt it. You definitely don't have to raise the phone to your face. If you can see the screen, it can see you.

I believe it will function as advertised. What I'm saying is that there is nothing convenient about Face ID except almost exclusively for situations where the phone is in your hand.

I think you're jumping to conclusions. Wait and see.

 

[bufffilm]

Let me first say that I think Face ID will function as advertised. That's not my issue. My issue is that there are specific situations where the phone isn't in my hand and getting my face where it needs to be simply won't work. Some examples:

I'm in meetings all day and frequently need to quietly check an email or two; Face ID would require me to pick up the phone to look at it or lean forward in an obvious manner, tipping off the person speaking.

I commute by car each day and use a vent mount to hold my phone; Face ID would require me to do neck gymnastics to get my eyes oriented over the center console to unlock it if I'm getting gas or am parked in a queue to pick up my son after school.

At my desk, my iPhone lies flat about 8 inches away from the keyboard. To wake the phone I merely press the home button. To unlock it I keep pressing. With Face ID to wake the phone lying flat on the desk I need to use my whole hand to grip the phone and hit the side button with my thumb. If I then want to unlock it I need to pick it up and point it at my face.

I have a beach house and am full of sticky sunscreen and sand as I sit in my chair with my phone lying flat on the armrest. With Touch ID all I have to do is keep my pointer finger clean to unlock the phone. With Face ID I have to grab the entire phone with my dirty hand, get the case full of oily chemicals, and get the case full of gritty sand merely to check for a text message notification which I tend to do every 15 minutes.

I use Apple Pay constantly and the new behavior adds steps and complexity. With Touch ID all I have to do is slide my hand in my pocket, pull it out by the thumb, and before the phone hits the wireless terminal it's already unlocked and authenticated. With Face ID it takes twice as long to double click buttons, raise the phone to my face, etc.

I'm not afraid of the technology. I believe it will function as advertised. What I'm saying is that there is nothing convenient about Face ID except almost exclusively for situations where the phone is in your hand. And for my usecases at least 50% of the time my phone is not in my hand when I need to unlock it. So it will prevent me from buying a X. Which is a shame because I like the new screen and I like the new gestures and am bored of the 6/7/8 form factor.

All the cases you posted are valid concerns.

At best, FaceID will require little more than an additional 1 second delay to do its work. But it may prove that FaceID will impose more of an imposition than TouchID to unlock your phone.

We don't know.

But I believe Apple blundered by choosing not to support TouchID in the ipX.

As I said countless times before...TouchID is a proven and convenient means to unlock your phone.

It was irresponsible of Apple to not include it. We don't know if TouchID will be replaced by FaceID at some point in the future.

ipX users are beta testers of this new technology.

I don't beta test. End of story.

 

[1Zach1]

Thank you for the clarifications and tap to wake helps, but if I have a device flat on a conference table and tap to see that I have a text I need to respond to, I still am in the awkward position of either picking it up or leaning my face over the table in order to engage Face ID. This will tip off the rest of the people in the meeting that I'm not entirely paying attention, and this happens to me several times a day.

.......How is this different than using TouchID? One way or another you're typing on your phone when you should be paying attention to the meeting. How you unlock the phone seems like the least of the issue in that situation.

 

[eVolcre]

The old way

Thank you for that clarification, tapping to wake the phone while it lies flat is a step in the right direction.
[doublepost=1506521536][/doublepost]

This is a good option but the local Apple store has the 8 256GB Space Grey in stock and waiting another month or two to upgrade from my three year old 6 is a challenge.
[doublepost=1506521747][/doublepost]

Thank you for the clarifications and tap to wake helps, but if I have a device flat on a conference table and tap to see that I have a text I need to respond to, I still am in the awkward position of either picking it up or leaning my face over the table in order to engage Face ID. This will tip off the rest of the people in the meeting that I'm not entirely paying attention, and this happens to me several times a day.

The old way you’d use Touch ID to see your text message. How will you reply to it without tipping everyone off ? Type one handed on a phone sitting on the conference table? I mean that’s pretty blatant

The new way tap to wake shows you your notifications. Replaces the old way of placing your finger on the button. I guess if you need to respond you may need to pick up the phone or angle it slightly but it’s probably just as distracting as the old way.

Not arguing. Trying to understand your use case here.

Also, have you considered an Apple Watch? It’s brilliant even if all you use is the notifications. Completely reduced my need to be staring at my phone all the time and no one really catches on that you’re triaging emails or replying to texts. The scribble thing actually works and you can have custom replies preset that usually work 80% of the time.

 

[Pipper99]

I'm concerned about how FaceID will work in day to day experience, but I'm eager to try it, and I'm excited about the X. An in-store demo won't be an adequate evaluation for me. Since Apple gives us 14 days to return the product, I intend to put the X through its paces, and I'm guessing that I'll wind up loving it and keep it as planned. If not, I'll return it.

 

[Ntombi]

Face ID isn't the only thing stopping me from getting the X. The screen is just to small when compared to the Plus sizes. I just can't see myself dropping what I already have for something smaller.

The phone is smaller than the Plus, but the screen is about the same size. You know, that whole “bezel-less” thing?

 

[MistrSynistr]

Why would anyone ever "want" this feature? This is more of a we did it, and you WILL adapt thing.
[doublepost=1506523575][/doublepost]

My wife went with a iphone 8, because of fear of face ID. She reads up on all the conspiracy theories of the government or other agencies spying on our lives through cameras. We've went around and around about not putting tape on my MacBook camera. I'm a full time nursing student, a father of 3, and a husband. Nothing so interesting going on here for someone to watch me. lol

Your wife isn't a "conspiracy theorist" considering this was all proven recently they are doing this to us.