iOS 14.5 Adds an Option to Unlock iPhone with Apple Watch if You're Wearing a Mask

[clcnyc]

Great, just in time to stop wearing masks!

We’re not even close to that point.

 

[JM]

Come onnnnnn.... Apple you had the entire last year to recognize the convenience value of this.

thank you for finally getting here, though.....

 

[Cosmosent]

The return of TouchID in the iPhone 12s/13 family later this year will very-likely be AAPL's ALL-Time BIGGEST Game Changer !

Mask Wearing in Public will probably be with us ALL for ~2.5 years, starting from Jan 1st of this year.

 

[ipedro]

Thank you! I've been saying this since the beginning of the pandemic. If the Watch is secure enough for Apple Pay, then it's secure enough to unlock an iPhone. Authenticate the owner via Face ID once, and then for as long as the Watch is worn, the owner is verified.

I’d love to have seen a point update with a solution to face masks.

Apple has a real opportunity to skip Face ID by verifying if the wearer’s Apple Watch is nearby. The Watch is already a secure authenticated device. When you put on the Watch at home, Face ID on your iPhone verifies you and passes on that security to your Watch. As long as you keep the Watch on, it should be able to unlock your iPhone even if you’re wearing a mask.

I'd love to hear from those who vehemently disagreed with my post from last year. Good idea now that Apple has actually implemented it?

 

[itsmeaustend]

This is huge.

 

[RobQuads]

I don’t understand why it won’t be allowed for payment. I can press a button on my watch and pay for something but on my phone I need to show my whole face? Why can’t it use the unlocked watch in the same way watch payments do

 

[svanstrom]

Thank you! I've been saying this since the beginning of the pandemic. If the Watch is secure enough for Apple Pay, then it's secure enough to unlock an iPhone. Authenticate the owner via Face ID once, and then for as long as the Watch is worn, the owner is verified.

HEEEEEEEEEEELL NO!!

I'm not having anyone picking up my phone and instantly getting it unlocked just because I'm nearby.

 

[svanstrom]

I don’t understand why it won’t be allowed for payment. I can press a button on my watch and pay for something but on my phone I need to show my whole face? Why can’t it use the unlocked watch in the same way watch payments do

Because anyone can pick up your phone without you noticing, but if anyone removes your watch from your arm it auto-locks…?

 

[alexandr]

it's nice, i guess. i don't always wear my apple watch though... so touch id in the next model would be very welcomed...

 

[NMBob]

Great idea! seriously,

(and hilarious icon)

I thought it was a monkey.

 

[bobmans]

I don’t understand why it won’t be allowed for payment. I can press a button on my watch and pay for something but on my phone I need to show my whole face? Why can’t it use the unlocked watch in the same way watch payments do

Because the watch locks itself the moment it leaves your wrist

 

[480951]

We’re not even close to that point.

They could live in Australia or New Zealand, I have no idea. Not everywhere is like North America/U.K currently. Otherwise completely agree.

 

[EugW]

Game changer!

 

[yticolev]

That’s awesome!
Leave touchid where it belongs...

On the power button?

 

[jml1982]

I thought this should have been a thing before masks. Your phone knows it's super close to the watch, so if both are registered to me, it should just unlock. It's on the mac.

 

[bumpylumpy]

Does anyone know if this means FaceID authentication is disabled completely (so ANY face will unlock with the paired watch nearby) or if it just relies on the top half of the face? In other words, if my wife grabs my phone and looks at it while I'm close by wearing my Apple Watch, will it unlock for her? Or only me, as long as the upper parts of our faces look different?

 

[Caliber26]

Yes, gawd!!! Halleloo, the house down boots bareback! Best update ever. Slay!

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Wow! Watch unlock, Dualsense, and dual sim 5G. That’s a good update.

 

[Killerbob]

lol - pushing the sales of Apple Watches up...

 

[Caliber26]

If only they could let me check my iPhone battery status from my watch so I know when I can get my phone from the charger

This is just another reason why you should have the Phone Buddy app installed. Not only will it alert you when your watch is fully charged, but, more importantly, it also sends an alert to your watch if you leave your phone behind (and vice versa).

 

[stridemat]

Most excited I have been bout a recent feature. Glad they have come up with some form of a solution.

 

[technole]

This will suffice until they add the thumbprint scan on the screen in iPhone 13.

 

[grantew1]

We’re not even close to that point.

Depends on where he lives. The United States is getting hammered right now.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I mentioned this as one of my wants for the next iOS. A few months ago. This is awesome news.

 

[TheSkywalker77]

HELL YEAH! "Preparing update" has never gone slower.