It would be nice to have more Face ID scans.

[mcdj]

If Apple added more facial scans, perhaps it could alleviate some of my (and other’s) issues with Face ID.

2+ weeks in, Face ID delay is still my biggest problem with the X. Time and again I’m sat waiting for iOS or apps to let me in. My banking apps are the biggest culprit.

With Touch ID, during the unlock process, I could be looking at something else, like at something on my computer, or at someone I’m talking to, or where I’m walking. With Face ID I’m a slave to the phone. Sure it’s only for a second or two, but it adds up. Over the course of a year, just spending 4 seconds a day waiting for various apps or iOS to recognize me amounts to a half hour of wasted time staring idly at a phone.

Sadly, I’ve come to realize that one of the biggest drawbacks to Face ID will never be solved; the phone has to have line of sight to your face, and so far is limited to a mostly perpendicular angle. With Touch ID you could unlock your phone as you were removing it from your pocket, by feeling the button. By the time you got the phone facing you, it was already unlocked. No matter what Apple does to speed up Face ID, they will never recover that lost efficiency.

That said, I think they if that can use scans to build a more complete picture, it could relax what seems to be a very narrow field of recognition.

If they had my side profiles, left and right, and a scan from under my chin, or from above, they could digitally stitch these together into a wider and taller map of my face, and I might not have to have my face directly square to the phone to unlock it.

They could also have optional sets of scans taken at different arm lengths. So many times I’ve had to readjust my entire body to open the phone. Relaxing at home with my feet up and the phone resting on my stomach rarely allows me to unlock. I have to either tip my head back and hover the phone over my face, or sit up straight and raise my arm.

It shouldn’t be like this. The phone should adapt to me. I shouldn’t have to adapt to the phone. At least not this much.

And as I’ve said before, an option to set the time differential between unlocking requirements would be very helpful. It’s ridiculous to have to run a scan every single time I want to use the phone. If I’m at work for 8 hours, I should be able to schedule a less stringent unlock schedule. And I should be able to decide that if I unlocked the phone X minutes ago, I don’t need to scan again.

I have faith that Apple will continue to make Face ID more sophisticated. The ideas above could be part of the process.

 

[Zaft]

If Apple added more facial scans, perhaps it could alleviate some of my (and other’s) issues with Face ID.

2+ weeks in, Face ID delay is still my biggest problem with the X. Time and again I’m sat waiting for iOS or apps to let me in. My banking apps are the biggest culprit.

With Touch ID, during the unlock process, I could be looking at something else, like at something on my computer, or at someone I’m talking to, or where I’m walking. With Face ID I’m a slave to the phone. Sure it’s only for a second or two, but it adds up. Over the course of a year, just spending 4 seconds a day waiting for various apps or iOS to recognize me amounts to a half hour of wasted time staring idly at a phone.

Sadly, I’ve come to realize that one of the biggest drawbacks to Face ID will never be solved; the phone has to have line of sight to your face, and so far is limited to a mostly perpendicular angle. With Touch ID you could unlock your phone as you were removing it from your pocket, by feeling the button. By the time you got the phone facing you, it was already unlocked. No matter what Apple does to speed up Face ID, they will never recover that lost efficiency.

That said, I think they if that can use scans to build a more complete picture, it could relax what seems to be a very narrow field of recognition.

If they had my side profiles, left and right, and a scan from under my chin, or from above, they could digitally stitch these together into a wider and taller map of my face, and I might not have to have my face directly square to the phone to unlock it.

They could also have optional sets of scans taken at different arm lengths. So many times I’ve had to readjust my entire body to open the phone. Relaxing at home with my feet up and the phone resting on my stomach rarely allows me to unlock. I have to either tip my head back and hover the phone over my face, or sit up straight and raise my arm.

It shouldn’t be like this. The phone should adapt to me. I shouldn’t have to adapt to the phone. At least not this much.

And as I’ve said before, an option to set the time differential between unlocking requirements would be very helpful. It’s ridiculous to have to run a scan every single time I want to use the phone. If I’m at work for 8 hours, I should be able to schedule a less stringent unlock schedule. And I should be able to decide that if I unlocked the phone X minutes ago, I don’t need to scan again.

I have faith that Apple will continue to make Face ID more sophisticated. The ideas above could be part of the process.

Turning off awareness should help.

 

[mcdj]

Turning off awareness should help.

It’s off.

 

[Zaft]

It’s off.

If its off, why do you have to stare at it?

 

[Ipadfever]

Notch at bottom of phone (scan bottom half of face)with same depth sensor = asymmetrical phone with two terrible notches.

 

[mcdj]

If its off, why do you have to stare at it?

I don’t mean stare at it with my eyes. I mean face it. It needs to be squarely in front of my face. At a 12” distance, the difference between “staring” and “facing” is semantics.
[doublepost=1511290644][/doublepost]

Notch at bottom of phone (scan bottom half of face)with same depth sensor = asymmetrical phone with two terrible notches.

Who is suggesting that? Certainly not me.

 

[Bagaholic]

Every time FaceID failed to read your face, you should then put in your passcode. Supposedly Face ID will learn that failed attempt and update your face map. That's the additional Face ID scans you're asking for.

I put my phone flat on the table a lot, and at first, my Face ID wouldn't let me unlock the phone if I don't pick it up because it can't see my entire face. But after entering the passcode a few times, now Face ID learns the top part of my face and it lets me in without having to pick up my phone at all because if you leave your phone flat on the table and turn on the front facing camera, you can see that all the camera could see is the top half of your face and by letting Face ID learn that it's ok to let in with just showing that part, it will eventually work after the second or third try.

I'm just saying that as an example to make a point that you don't have to always hold the phone the "right" way. Teach Face ID to read your face at angles that you often use the phone and it will learn very quickly.

 

[arubinst]

Is it possible that there's a problem with your phone? Can you go to an Apple store and try with another phone?

Mine has awareness on and it works every single time... in the dark, in bed, walking, driving. And it's really fast. I don't even think about it anymore.

What you refer to with Touch ID, grabbing the phone and unlocking by feeling the button is mostly how it works for me. I just grab my phone and swipe up while taking my phone to my face. It goes to home screen right away.

 

[DiveKitty]

Actually, Face ID does "digitally stitch together" different profiles of your face to build a more complete picture. It is machine learning. Every time it fails, if you put in your passcode (instead of turning off and trying again), it checks to see if the person who unlocked it meets threshold of the face data it already has, and adds to it.

I don't have to hold the phone any "right way". It does not need to be "squarely in front of my face". Sure, it has to see my face to some degree, but I can swipe, look at it somehow (even if flat on table) and it opens up right away. I can swipe it as I bring it up from my pocket or bag and by time I am actually looking at it in order to use it, as I always intended to do, I realize I am already in. Sometimes it is so fast I don't even realize it has already read my face - like for banking apps or Apple Pay - as I was not even really paying attention or looking at it (I have attention required off). It can read my face at all sorts of angles. For example, it now unlocks immediately when it is offset from my face by a few inches to the left, because that is how I usually have it positioned on treadmill or elliptical. It can also read my face fine with sunglasses, toques, scarves, sometimes all three on together. I use it a lot while it is flat on my desk, and it is fine. It has learned over the last 2 1/2 weeks to unlock in positions it failed the first 2-3 days.

I love Face ID precisely because it has adapted to me, and my use. So I wonder if you have a defective unit, did the initial scan too close or something, or are not giving it the chance to machine learn by entering your passcode when it fails.