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iOS 15.4's Face ID With a Mask Feature Requires iPhone 12 or Newer

This feels like a really awesome reason to upgrade to a much more modern iPhone. Apple continues to deliver lifestyle-improving enhancements to those using the most cutting edge devices. You need to ask yourself, should I get on board this journey with Apple? The answer is yes - upgrade now.
 
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snipr125 said:
I just use old fashioned PIN, so enter it every time I use the phone. Not an issue for me really as i'm used to it now. I cant use Face ID because the sensors seem to give me strain behind my eyes for some reason, it does not feel right and im not taking any chances with my health... so just turned it OFF.
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yashrg said:
Very interesting. This likely serves as some evidence that pre iphone 12 devices have weaker FaceID sensors and won't be capable of securely verifying a face with only half the information.
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My iPhone 11 Pro Max also mysteriously accepted unlocking with a mask back in 2020. Not anymore on iPhone 12 and 13. They know that I’m with a mask even if I try to scan an alternative appearance with a mask on.
 
Bad move, apple. It's impossible to create.a specific enough profile just from the eyes, with the current tech. If you don't mind decreasing the level of security face ID used to offer, good on you, but this is going to make it A LOT easier for people to break into your device. All because it's too difficult for people to pull a mask down. ?
 
Lcohen34 said:
Typical Apple. "Hey, if you want this feature, upgrade!". Even though there is no hardware-wise limitation.
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Highly doubt this is the case since they still officially sell the iPhone 11. I think there is more going on behind the scenes that need more processing power for analyzing the non-masked areas. Since they were able to do mask detection to show the number pad back in 2020 but only chose now to implement unlock, I'm pretty sure they've added more to make it more secure.
 
Moderator Note:

Posts have been deleted. Stick to technical issues/questions/details regarding this implementation.
 
Bummer. While most new features are decidedly uninteresting to me this was the one I was really looking forward to. But my Xs Max won't cut it.

I just happened to be looking at the 13 Max last weekend but decided to wait until the 14 comes out. Might have to reconsider now.
 
Apple: You want our new cool feature even though its 2 years to late? BUY A NEW DEVICE!! UPGRADE UPGRADE UPGRADE!!!!!!!!!!!!! or else you can't be cool and use our new features.

Apple is like a sleaze ball salesman from the 90's.
 
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Sir_Macs_A_Lot said:
I'm sure Apple has some of the smartest people on the planet on their payroll.
So why did it take this long to come up with this??
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FaceID is incredibly complex. They are the only phone manufacturer which ships such an implementation. As such, this may very well have required new research.
 
gaximus said:
2 reasons they won't.
1. They claim FaceId is more secure than TouchId, and having TouchId and FaceId makes the device less secure, if FaceId can be disabled.
2. The FaceId hardware isn't free, and neither is the TouchId hardware. They aren't going to put both in, and take a hit on their margins.

Number 2 is probably the deciding reason.
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#3 TouchID and FaceID have different user experience. Even if a phone had both there likely are challenges for having them both enabled at the same time. That would mean you are shipping hardware that half the user base doesn't use (with the remainder of the user base not using the other option, plus a contingent who decide to stick with PINs or stay unlocked)
#4 all hardware takes up space.
 
yashrg said:
Very interesting. This likely serves as some evidence that pre iphone 12 devices have weaker FaceID sensors and won't be capable of securely verifying a face with only half the information.
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There may have been an updated software component as well. Since around iOS 15, I haven't been able to unlock my iPad while wearing a mask, but it isn't so much that it fails - more that it is that it isn't trying anymore.

The watch unlock is only supposed to trigger when you are wearing a mask. I suspect optimizing how fast that worked resulted in them doing stricter up-front checks that something is obscuring your face, perhaps using the regular front-facing camera and not the dot emitter. This guess assumes they updated the Secure Enclave on iPad as well, even though there is no watch support.

Oddly, it does seem to work sometimes - pulling my mask just a 1/8" lower on my nose face will cause my 13 pro to unlock without my watch on. Otherwise, the failure page doesn't say anything about FaceID failing - it says my watch seems out of range.

The A14 was a huge jump in the neural engine, with some features going 10x as fast. Its more likely that they are doing more work in the masked mode (which also explains why in the beta you have to redo your facial scans to turn the mode on). I'm looking forward to Apple documenting all that after the March release.
 
Relentless Power said:
I think that’s kind of annoying for iPhone X or 11 users, they won’t have this option. There must be some technical (Maybe hardware[?]) restriction why the iPhone X/11 aren’t capable.
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Must there? I'm thinking that Apple might also like to create an incentive to pay for new hardware...
 
hell yeah!! no more hanging masks off my ears or putting in a PIN to unlock my phone. 15.4 can't come soon enough!

good thing i have an iPhone 12 but honestly any phone that is the X or newer should support this.
 
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I have an iPhone that can can be unlocked by two different people using face ID, one person is a male and the other is a female. I was of the opinion that this could have happened.

Can someone tell me how to contact Apple about this security flaw.

I bought the phone new from the apple store in the Washington DC area.
 
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Plentipeppa said:
I have an iPhone that can can be unlocked by two different people using face ID, one person is a male and the other is a female. I was of the opinion that this could have happened.

Can someone tell me how to contact Apple about this security flaw.

I bought the phone new from the apple store in the Washington DC area.
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This was a big issue when Face ID was first introduced.

I remember I was able to unlock with mask on with iPhone 11. And then, I can't. And today, it's re-introduced. But only with iPhone 12 or later. Who can I contact at Apple about this?

Tell me this is not about forcing people to upgrade. **** you.
 
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That is the only reason to force people to upgrade, as Apple keeps selling the same phone every year.
 
Stella said:
Apple should have added this last year.
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Apple should have added a fingerprint scanner under the screen many years ago, like other flagship phones.

The pandemic simply exposed Apple their greed for not having flagship features on their phone, while pricing it at flagship status.

If the iPhone had a Xiaomi logo on the back, it would not sell at all.
 
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