Apple predicted to ditch Touch ID for Face ID with 2018 iPhone lineup

Posted:
in iPhone edited October 2017
Apple is going all in on Face ID, according to well-connected KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who believes the company will completely abandon its Touch ID capacitive fingerprint recognition system in favor of the depth-sensing technology when it introduces next year's iPhone lineup.




In a note to investors seen by AppleInsider, Kuo says Apple will push its advantage over Android handset makers by integrating Face ID and its underlying TrueDepth camera system into all 2018 iPhone models, replacing current Touch ID technology.

The move would mark a dramatic shift for Apple, which has relied on Touch ID as a sole means of biometric user authentication its introduction in iPhone 5s four years ago. And where iPhone goes in terms of adopting new technology, other devices are sure to follow.

"We believe this change will allow all new models to realize a competitive advantage via differentiation, on the back of an integrated user experience of full-screen design and TrueDepth Camera/Facial recognition/Face ID/AR applications," Kuo writes.

Today's note echoes Kuo's claims from September, when the analyst said Apple would likely ditch Touch ID in 2018. That prediction came with one caveat: a positive public reception.

Aside from members of the media who got an early look at iPhone X at Apple's big iPhone event last month, no one outside of Apple has put the TrueDepth camera through its paces. AppleInsider was at the unveiling and went hands-on with iPhone X to find Face ID was as fast and accurate as advertised. We did note, however, that the system was at times finicky in acquiring a target face, which is not necessarily a bad behavior for a secure identification solution.

Though Apple's depth-sensing technology has yet to be proven in the court of public opinion, Android makers are already looking to adopt similar solutions, Kuo says.

Prior to the announcement of iPhone X and Face ID, the Android camp was focused on incremental upgrades to existing optical fingerprint recognition technology, specifically under-screen solutions. Perhaps not coincidentally, rumors last year pegged Apple as working on its own sub-screen Touch ID solution. Subsequent rumblings suggested the company nixed plans to integrate an embedded fingerprint recognition system after encountering insurmountable technical challenges. Reports countering those claims said Apple has been "all-in" on Face ID for over a year.

According to Kuo, certain Chinese brands might release under-display optical fingerprint readers in the first half of 2018, though shipments of such devices will be low due to supply constraints. Moving forward, Android-based 3D sensing technologies are expected to mature between the second half of 2018 and first half of 2019, which will lead to higher rates of adoption, Kuo says.

Kuo in a note earlier this week said he expects Apple to integrate the TrueDepth camera system into the 2018 iPad lineup, solidifying the technology's place in the company's existing mobile device ecosystem.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 64
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    It will not be surprising if they do. It's getting more difficult to have features that differentiate one smartphone from another and minimally for at least a year or so this will be Apple's. 
  • Reply 2 of 64
    Well, it would be very surprising if the SE X (lol) has that feature. Since Apple is reaching for the stars these days, I can imagine a $600 dollar 4 incher, and they keep the old SE around still at $350. I am so curious now to see how it plays in March. 
    mattinozcalirandominternetpersonbaconstangphilboogieargonaut[Deleted User]wlym
  • Reply 3 of 64
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    gatorguy said:
    It will not be surprising if they do. It's getting more difficult to have features that differentiate one smartphone from another and minimally for at least a year or so this will be Apple's. 
    But how much does it really differentiate Apple? Samsung already has facial recognition. It may not work worth a damn, but the general market doesn't know that. If it's just bullet points, then they line up and there is no differentiation on that feature. I can see how it doesn't lead to some differentiation, actually. Apple will have only FaceID, which most people won't see as unique. But their competitors will have face and finger print recognition, both features Apple has spent tons and tons conditioning people to accept and want. And Apple will be the top tier brand without both. Their differentiation might be to be seen as skimping on features they've promoted as being critical.
    randominternetperson
  • Reply 4 of 64
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,299member
    Well, it would be very surprising if the SE X (lol) has that feature. Since Apple is reaching for the stars these days, I can imagine a $600 dollar 4 incher, and they keep the old SE around still at $350. I am so curious now to see how it plays in March. 
    I'd preorder an X minus as soon as I could get on to the website at $599. 
    Anilu_777randominternetpersonbaconstang[Deleted User]
  • Reply 5 of 64
    I'd preorder an X minus as soon as I could get on to the website at $599. 
    I'll be right behind you 🙂
  • Reply 6 of 64
    Please no on the next SE. I'm okay with no home button (though I don't mind it at all, and I don't mind the form factor, bezel and all), BUT, I want Touch ID...on screen is just fine by me. I was excited at hearing the of the possibility of this technology during the rumor stages of the X. As someone who leaves the assistive touch home button on as a supplement to the physical home button, I could see the on screen Touch ID working just like an assistive touch home button. I have no interest whatsoever in another gesture to access the functions that the home button brings like switching between apps, return home etc. I know every time Apple releases a new technology or cuts out old technology they get slammed for being gimmicky, but to me face recognition vs finger print is gimmicky. ...course I still maintain the MBP touch bar and lack of ports as well as the new iPhones' lack of headphone jack as gimmicky. : ).
  • Reply 7 of 64
    MplsPMplsP Posts: 3,911member
    "Apple going all in on facial recognition for 2018 lineup"

    "suppliers continue to struggle with production of 3D imaging modules"

    🤔
    randominternetpersonnamechanged - contact staffcurtis hannah
  • Reply 8 of 64
    But everybody said Face ID only exists because Apple couldn’t get Touch ID under the display to work. 
    lkruppbrucemc
  • Reply 9 of 64
    MplsP said:
    "Apple going all in on facial recognition for 2018 lineup"

    "suppliers continue to struggle with production of 3D imaging modules"

    ߤ䦬t;/div>
    I know Kuo has a track record but he’s not always right. With the talk of LG becoming another OLED supplier and reducing dependency on Samsung in 2019 I’d bet on that year as the year the home button goes. It would also give Apple more time to find a more reliable and steady supplier for all the components of the FaceID system. 
    edited October 2017
  • Reply 10 of 64
    So will they also ditch it on the MBP in favor of FaceID?
    loquiturmacplusplusdysamoria
  • Reply 11 of 64
    tshapitshapi Posts: 369member
    I suspect face id is a bi product of the true depth camera. I suspect apple really developed the 3D truedepth camera for 3D AR purposes and possible gestures.   

    After all, do you think Apple purchase Matiao and face shift and all those machine learning companies just so they can create face id? Or do you think they purchased them so they can create an improved and better AR platform and product that they can subsequently profit from! I vote for the later. I think stuff like animoji and other ar things are the real reason behind the purchase. 

    Also consisder, Apple innovative products incrementally.  Touch ID was released in the 5s so they can perfect it and work out all the bugs  before they launched Apple Pay with the 6/+  and so on. This is released this year and next year Apple will build upon it and probably reveal a wider purpose.  
    edited October 2017 calimacplusplusslprescottRayz2016philboogieargonautcurtis hannahbb-15
  • Reply 12 of 64
    BUT BUT BUT....Android have face recognition first, it is so accurate that it can even detect pictures of the users and unlocks the phone🤣😬
    SoliRayz2016[Deleted User]bb-15
  • Reply 13 of 64
    ...hmmm - first your contact and other data, then your finger print (secure enclave notwithstanding), next all ones images are scanned and tagged - for your benefit but with no off switch, soon a face map, and will we later see a few 'non-identifiable' biomarkers added to boot...?  How many ways can one boil a frog...?
    edited October 2017 baconstang
  • Reply 14 of 64
    So will they also ditch it on the MBP in favor of FaceID?
    Good question, as these "all in" reports could give one pause for upgrading to the current rev
    of the MacBook Pro w/Touch ID (the only available offering for the 15" species) if Face ID obtains.

    The current rap against Face ID for MacBooks is that it won't do multi-user.  (Yet.)
    edited October 2017
  • Reply 15 of 64
    I don't buy it.

     The fact that they released a "10" (X) and an 8 this year implies that there will be an iPhone 9, effectively an iPhone 8S, next fall. The iPhone X is buying 2019's iPhone today. Next year's "mainstream" model will not be the X.

     So is the iPhone 9 gonna have FaceID? Are they going to release a home-button-iPhone without TouchID, redesign the hardware to add in all those cameras, cameras that they're still having trouble making demand with? And then retire all that work one year later (e.g. no iPhone 9S)? No.
    edited October 2017 macplusplus
  • Reply 16 of 64
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    Of course it’s more than Face ID. Shopping is gonna be huge with AR kit. Don’t be surprised if we see FaceID 2.0 next year also. 
  • Reply 17 of 64
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,415member
    designr said:
    It feels like, with Face ID, Apple is a solving a problem that doesn't really exist. Touch ID made a lot of sense to me. Face ID less so.
    You will find it better than TouchID and it's also more secure. And think about it - you can wear gloves.
    argonaut
  • Reply 18 of 64
    designr said:
    It feels like, with Face ID, Apple is a solving a problem that doesn't really exist. Touch ID made a lot of sense to me. Face ID less so.
    Isn’t the problem that iPhone X has no bezels where a TouchID sensor would go?  I like TouchID but it frequently can’t read my fingerprint, for whatever reason.  Sometimes it’s because I just washed my hands, other times it’s because my fingers are a little cracked or dry and still other times I have no idea why it didn’t work.  Still, TouchID works enough of the time for me to be used to it and happy with it, but if FaceID is more accurate more of the time I’m sure I’ll like that even more.
    StrangeDays
  • Reply 19 of 64
    tshapitshapi Posts: 369member
    cali said:
    Of course it’s more than Face ID. Shopping is gonna be huge with AR kit. Don’t be surprised if we see FaceID 2.0 next year also. 
    Of course ARkit is gonna be huge in most respects. Applications include shopping, home improvements, cooking, and really pretty much everything 
    edited October 2017
  • Reply 20 of 64
    cali said:
    Of course it’s more than Face ID. Shopping is gonna be huge with AR kit. Don’t be surprised if we see FaceID 2.0 next year also. 
    What about ARKit will make the shopping experience different/better? Not that I’m doubting you, I just don’t see what change ARKit will bring. 

    (To be fair, so far I’ve failed to understand quite a bit that others seem to be excited about regarding ARKit. The 3D characters on the sidewalk and games played “on” a table just seem like “we did this because we can”)
    dysamoria
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