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why didn't apple include face unlock on iOS 5

It's actually not a bad feature if implemented properly. But if a picture can unlock it then it's pretty laughable.

I agree with OP that 4S and iOS 5 lacks features given the 16 month time between iPhones. Not even gonna go into how useless Siri is in its current state. I love the "innovation" and all but it's just not practical at this moment.
 
Facial unlock would require 2 cameras to not be fooled by a picture.
 
Yes, I will carry a torch around to shine in my face when I wish to use my phone in the dark. Great idea!
 
Dang .. face recognition for unlocking?

That is just so lame. I've seen some demo (actual demo and Youtube).
Luckily iPhone doesn't have it.

It took ages just to stabilize your face in front of your phone screen, more time to detect face location, take a snap, and ..

Analyzing .. analyzing .. analyzing for a couple of centuries ... still waiting .. uh huh, I'm smoking outside now .... and ahhh there your phone has been unlocked by your friggin face.

You love that kind of unlock? Well I'd take "Slide to Unlock" anytime, thank you.
If smartphone companies wanna make some security improvement, they better try fingerprint unlock instead, faster and more useful in real life.
 
I don't think Apple would ever allow such a feature. It presents a huge security flaw. As another user mentioned, you only need a photo of the device owner and you are through.

Secondly, it's really more gimmick than it is a useful feature. Having to align your head when unlocking the device is both annoying and more time consuming than just typing a four digit password.

In the end such a feature does more harm than good.
 
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jvmxtra said:
hHmm.. even if it doesn't work well.. and even w/ the flaw they are finding out(it can easily get unlock using a picture), why not add that in? So that other devices cannot claim that as it's one of main feature.. ?? From strategical point of view, would that not make sense?
Click to expand...

It will not work. It will be useless and easy to get in (if you replace it to your regular old passcode) since you could get a picture of the owner and it will unlock it. It is way too flawed to exist.
 
jvmxtra said:
???? Sounds like this is something they could have added to their features.. ??? I am just not sure where their time went as their 200 new features seem very minor. And siri was acquision.
Click to expand...

Face recognition is not very effective, Apple will never place a feature they don't feel will work properly the majority of the time. Even Siri is in BETA and it works 90% of the time for me.
 
Ktdhc said:
It's actually not a bad feature if implemented properly. But if a picture can unlock it then it's pretty laughable.

I agree with OP that 4S and iOS 5 lacks features given the 16 month time between iPhones. Not even gonna go into how useless Siri is in its current state. I love the "innovation" and all but it's just not practical at this moment.
Click to expand...

Useless in your opinion. I love Siri. If you can't find a use for Voice to Text and vice versa... Well I dunno...

All the bitching about the 4S being a lackluster update boggles my mind.
New Processor, New GPU, much better camera, better antenna configuration, support of HSPA+, GLONASS.

If they wanted Face Recognition it can be added later, but I for one would probably not use it as I don't want to have to hold my phone up to my face to unlock it. Especially if I am driving.
 
jvmxtra said:
hHmm.. even if it doesn't work well.. and even w/ the flaw they are finding out(it can easily get unlock using a picture), why not add that in? So that other devices cannot claim that as it's one of main feature.. ?? From strategical point of view, would that not make sense?
Click to expand...

Strategical.
 
There IS a face unlock feature on the iPhone. You just use your nose to move the slider on the lock screen. Done.
 
Actually, it's probably because Apple didn't think of the feature. Google/Samsung did.

To all those saying that it doesn't work that well, from most of the video demos I've seen it works pretty damn well, and was pretty quick to recognize the user. But if you're constantly wearing tons of make-up and having spotlights in your face, I could see why you'd be worried.

To all those saying that Apple wouldn't release such a crap feature...they released Siri in beta and that doesn't work well (or at all) for a lot of people. And icloud/mobileme had perfect launches without any sort of failure that would even come close to the facial recognition launch failure with the Galaxy Nexus. And Apple also released phones that would drop calls if you held it a certain way. And has acknowledged a problem with battery life in the 4S. And recalled the 1st gen Nanos because they might explode. Nope...Apple products never have anything crappy on them....:rolleyes: (Just sayin'...)

To all those sayin' that it's a major security flaw, how many of you actually even bother to put a lockcode on your phone at all? Most people just swipe to unlock....for those people facial recognition would be a efficient and useful extra-security measure. Unless you're a drag-queen.

Ahhh...I'm starting to understand all the hate....
 
jvmxtra said:
hHmm.. even if it doesn't work well.. and even w/ the flaw they are finding out(it can easily get unlock using a picture), why not add that in? So that other devices cannot claim that as it's one of main feature.. ?? From strategical point of view, would that not make sense?
Click to expand...

You're right. It would be something easily offered. For those who didn't want it, they could simply not use it.

You have a very good point, it does seem odd that Apple would fail to miss the obvious.
 
It is gimmicky but it is decent but not great security.

How often does a stranger who steals your phone, have a nice close up face shot picture of you? Or any info to find a picture even.
 
You're asking "WHY didn't Apple include face detection"? You might as well ask: "Why black isn't white?"

Keep your face detection crap far away from my iPhone.
 
jvmxtra said:
hHmm.. even if it doesn't work well.. and even w/ the flaw they are finding out(it can easily get unlock using a picture), why not add that in? So that other devices cannot claim that as it's one of main feature.. ?? From strategical point of view, would that not make sense?
Click to expand...

You really want a flawed feature like that? The Android exhibit is that way.
 
Because it takes too long to process properly. iOS has face detection--not recognition--which can be set at two different qualities, with a speed/performance tradeoff. If quality face detection takes a moment, imagine how long quality face recognition would take. Those other phones who implementing "face unlock" are doing it with a kluge algorithm of face detection and recognition and it won't be reliable. If you're really interested, I'm sure someone in the jailbreak community can implement a kluge algorithm like the other phones are using--if someone hasn't already. But remember, it's not going to be reliable.
 
Even if it worked well I don't have interest in it. I would just prefer to punch in a code and be done with it. Holding it up to see my face? Nah.
 
It's one of those thing you use almost every day. You'll use it every day to show it off but other than that, it's "useless". You'll never use it for practical and normal usage. It takes just as much, possible less, time to just enter an unlock code. It's "cool", nothing more. (IMO)
 
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