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The biggest security risk is someone you know picking up your device with intent to access data. If the distance allows someone to look at your phone while you are powdering your nose than there is a big security issue.
Touch ID, Face ID etc all have flaws. If someone is really concerned about security then they'd just stick to an old school passcode.
 
Face ID will work like normal on the iPhone, so you'll only feel a difference through the Apple Watch, though sometimes there's a slight delay that says "unlocking iPhone with Apple Watch." This seems to depend on the distance between your iPhone and your watch, and if your authenticated watch is too far away, you'll be told to move it closer.
I am guessing the delay is the reason why unlocking iPhone with Apple Watch isn't available for mask-less use., like it is on the Mac.

I wish Apple Watch can be used as a fallback, however, such as when the phone is held in landscape orientation.
 
It would have been a million times better if it worked anytime your watch was in like having your phone in a table and unlock it the same way, it’s annoying it’s only if you wear a mask, a wasted opportunity
 
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I'm a little confused by this statement. I use my unlocked Apple Watch all the time to use Apple Pay in a store while I leave my iPhone in the car. Does this no longer work? Or are you saying if you're using your iPhone to pay for something, you still need to take your mask off? That would be a purchase with your iPhone, not your Apple Watch.

The sentence is worded poorly. You can't use Apple Pay on the phone using the watch as the authenticator in place of Face ID. Using the watch to unlock the phone will only unlock the phone to the home screen, not authenticate for any sort of purchase (e.g. Apple Pay, App Store) or unlock individual apps that use Face ID (e.g. your banking app or something like that).

Using Apple Pay directly on the watch isn't changing.
 
Touch ID, Face ID etc all have flaws. If someone is really concerned about security then they'd just stick to an old school passcode.
That's something of an irrelevant point. There is a difference between internal flaws to the key lock mechanism and the lock not being engaged.
 
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I was surprised when Dan said he was frustrated because it wouldn’t authenticate Apple pay and acknowledged he could just do it with his watch but doesn’t? Maybe I heard that wrong but Apple Pay on my watch is one of my most favorite features of the Apple Watch. I’m really excited by this feature, and yes it could do more, but I will be really happy to have.
 
Apple allow this to work no matter what like the phone on a desk, please it would be a life saver
 
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I was surprised when Dan said he was frustrated because it wouldn’t authenticate Apple pay and acknowledged he could just do it with his watch but doesn’t? Maybe I heard that wrong but Apple Pay on my watch is one of my most favorite features of the Apple Watch. I’m really excited by this feature, and yes it could do more, but I will be really happy to have.
I have found Apple Pay on the watch a lot easier and quicker than using the phone.

And Dan, you need to start using your watch.
 
Works 100% of the time for me. I hesitated enabling this feature at first, but finally did and love it! I can just walk up to my Mac and it unlocks. Amazing convenience.
I've had no problems with using my watch to unlock the iMac, great convenience.
Honestly, the most awaited feature since COVID began!!
Absolutely! I can't wait for iOS 14.5!
 
Question, after I enable this, if someone else wearing a mask and I am sitting nearby my phone, will it still unlock? Or it will still be checking the upper part of my face? And what if no eye is even watching the phone, will it be unlocked?
 
I was just thinking about a feature like this a week or two ago. I’m glad they’ve actually added it. I might have to load up the developer beta instead of waiting a few weeks for public release lol
 
Finally!
I'll be able to fuel my motorcycle without taking of gloves, helmet and walking to the shop!!!
 
Dan…Dan…Dan, you guess you could use your Apple Watch? 😆 You guessed right!
Why would anyone, who has an Apple Watch, bother to pull their phone out of their pocket and pay with it…rather than just use the watch? Plus, you’re avoiding the issue of the person behind you thinking that you’re not paying attention, and messing around on your phone.
 
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A watch is kind of an expensive way to do that if you don't have it, but I'd totally get an airtag (if it's ever released) and pop it in my pocket to get that functionality -- if they can make it happen that way
Get a Yubikey. It's now (since Catalina) simple to set it up as a smart card for logging into your Mac, and all other common Mac authentication dialogs (at least on Big Sur). Much cheaper than an Apple watch, although obviously not nearly as useful, if you need all that functionality. Since I started using mine, I now don't feel that having a biometric feature on a Mac isn't all that big a deal. You can also use Yubikey for U2F Web auth, as well as gnupg integration for password-less ssh access to remote systems. It supports OTP, too.
 
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