Face ID With a Mask: How It Works and What You Need to Know

[brdeveloper]

Not supported by iPhone 11 (or X and Xs). Ridiculous... Apple-friendly media says it's a resource-intensive process. Resource-intensive is the need to type my PIN every time I need to unlock my phone.

 

[brdeveloper]

My best guess would be that perhaps the neural engine of the iPhone 11 can't run enough operations per second to run FaceID with Masks quickly enough to deliver a decent user experience, or there's a difference in security capabilities. But I'm just guessing.

Ingenuous... how is it not related to planned obsolescence? I don't care if my "old" iPhone 11 cpu needs more time than I need to type my PIN. Sometimes I can't type my PIN in public for security reasons and Face ID is mandatory.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Why not iPhone 11, Apple? I was excited about the feature but now I am disappointed.

I have a Xs and I'm pretty happy with how it works with my watch.

Maybe the standalone feature is more processing heavy than we realize, or needs whatever updates are in the notch in the 12.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

just bring back Touch ID already - it's faster anyway since it doesn't require a swipe up of the screen (can unlock the phone while pulling out of pocket, and be at the homescreen already by the time you look at it), and can work from any angle...

It's very frustrating since they literally invented the exact module needed and it's already shipping on the iPad Air.

 

[eoblaed]

Having had an Apple Watch since they first launched, the 'unlock with apple watch' option has made this whole thing moot for me.

Glad the option is there for the watch-less.

 

[brdeveloper]

I have a Xs and I'm pretty happy with how it works with my watch.

Maybe the standalone feature is more processing heavy than we realize, or needs whatever updates are in the notch in the 12.

It can't be more cpu/gpu intensive than running a game or something. Sometimes you don't want people watching you typing your PIN nor removing your mask (e.g., while on the bus, subway etc.).

 

[necrosexy]

Apple set an obedience bit field to 1 when you authenticate with a mask.

 

[ian87w]

It can't be more cpu/gpu intensive than running a game or something. Sometimes you don't want people watching you typing your PIN nor removing your mask (e.g., while on the bus, subway etc.).

It’s an obvious segmentation. Want this feature, upgrade. Everybody’s been doing this. HP intentionally slows down the print speed of their cheaper printer models, despite the actual chip and hardware are pretty much the same across the line.

 

[E.Lizardo]

It just makes you wonder what was Apple doing for the last two years? When the pandemic occurred. They could have implemented this feature of unlocking our iPhones with a mask two years ago yet Apple introduce unlock with an Apple Watch ⌚️.

Better late than never. ??

And you know this how?

 

[E.Lizardo]

The

Not having this feature available on iPhone 11 is highly suspect, as the hardware are seemingly the same with the 12 and 13 series.

The same. Huh.

 

[telo123]

It’s been working with my sunglasses lol without my AW on

 

[amartinez1660]

No sunglasses support. LOL. Enjoy the summer with your overpriced iphone.

May I ask, what phone do you use and your preferred unlocking method? Finger print or just plain simple reliable passcode and be done with it?

 

[amartinez1660]

It’s been working with my sunglasses lol without my AW on

Maybe it doesn’t obscure them beyond recognition? Maybe for the faceid camera those sunglasses aren’t opaque enough.
Curious thing indeed though.

 

[telo123]

Maybe it doesn’t obscure them beyond recognition? Maybe for the faceid camera those sunglasses aren’t opaque enough.
Curious thing indeed though.

Yeah, that’s the most likely reason. You can still see my eyes beyond the lenses if you look through it — for anyone wondering, they’re polarized lenses that aren’t particularly that dark.

 

[telo123]

No sunglasses support. LOL. Enjoy the summer with your overpriced iphone.

And yet I assume an Android user found him or herself on an Apple-biased thread. Amazing how Apple products still catches your attention.

 

[DX9OSCar]

iPhone users of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your (slave) masks ?

 

[robertjoe]

Is there any chance to get that amazing feature on XS at any future update! I'm very curious to know.

 

[AndrewC89]

This is in stark contrast to the "Unlock With Apple Watch" feature that Apple added to iOS 14.5 last year and cannot authenticate transactions.

Stupid limitation that bothers me no end.

Why? You can use Apple Pay with your watch.

 

[britboyj]

Why? You can use Apple Pay with your watch.

Not if I'm paying for something on my phone through Safari.

There's also other security level features that are like "Nope sorry, take your mask off."

 

[AndrewC89]

Not if I'm paying for something on my phone through Safari.

There's also other security level features that are like "Nope sorry, take your mask off."

That's slightly annoying, but at the end of the day it's just a minor inconvenience. Takes one sec to pull the mask down.