Code found in macOS Big Sur suggests Face ID could be coming to the Mac

AppleInsider

Apple's TrueDepth camera technology and its Face ID biometric authentication system may be coming to future Mac models -- but it isn't clear when.

Credit: Apple

Face ID isn't currently supported on Mac devices because they lack a TrueDepth sensor suite. New snippets of code found in the third beta version of macOS Big Sur suggest that Apple is working to bring its facial recognition technology to the Mac platform.

Reportedly, the latest macOS Big Sur beta contains code references to something called "PearlCamera." That's significant because Apple has used the "Pearl" designation in the past to refer to Face ID.

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Within those code snippets, unearthed by 9to5Mac in a new extension, there are also references to functions like "FaceDetect" and "BioCapture." Per the site, the code appears to be tailor-built for macOS and isn't leftover code from Apple's Catalyst technology.

Current MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models feature biometric authentication through a Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

It's also important to note that Apple's transition to Apple Silicon in its Macs could be essential to adopting Face ID in macOS. In its current form, Face ID relies heavily on the Neural Engine embedded in A-series chips such as the A12Z Bionic.

There are physical considerations here, too. The TrueDepth sensor suite requires space -- and there isn't much in the lid of a Mac model. Despite those hurdles, it appears Apple is already paving the way for Face ID-equipped Macs.

The first Apple Silicon Mac models could be a 12-inch MacBook refresh and a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro, both of which may be announced at an fall iPad and Mac keynote event on Oct. 27.

Apple has previously said that Face ID would be coming to "more" of its devices. While it didn't specifically mention the Mac, the company has filed for patents that essentially detail the facial biometric recognition system on an Apple computer.

Xed

I've been waiting for this since Face ID first appeared. I always figured that with iPhones being a single-user device that Face ID on a Mac would require a more robust system. Making the tech small enough for the top casings is also a hurdle.

DuhSesame

Xed said:

I've been waiting for this since Face ID first appeared. I always figured that with iPhones being a single-user device that Face ID on a Mac would require a more robust system. Making the tech small enough for the top casings is also a hurdle.

You'll have 6~7mm to work on with an iPhone.  The display unit on a Mac doesn't have that luxury and the camera is placed on the wedge of that casing.

sflocal

I don't think this should come as a surprise to anyone that follows Apple.  I think it's inevitable, especially on the ARM Macs, and I for one would certainly enjoy that.

WarrenBuffduckh

Innovation stretching means that the most obvious platform harmonisation will take years and years. Of joyful rumors, that is

netrox

This only strengthens my suspicions that Apple is going for iPad style laptops. 

jcallows

Xed said:

I've been waiting for this since Face ID first appeared.

Me too.  Then maybe they'll get rid of the Touch ID and the gimmicky Touch Bar (fingers crossed).

22july2013

MacBooks and iMacs both have cameras builtin to the same physical container as their CPU. This makes Face ID possible for them. But the Mac mini and Mac Pro don’t work like that. So they won’t be eligible. There needs to be a secure path from the camera to the secure element. 

Fidonet127

22july2013 said:

MacBooks and iMacs both have cameras builtin to the same physical container as their CPU. This makes Face ID possible for them. But the Mac mini and Mac Pro don’t work like that. So they won’t be eligible. There needs to be a secure path from the camera to the secure element. 

With the higher bandwidth of USB or Thunderbolt, it is possible to have end to end encryption from the FaceID device to the CPU/T? silicon. People will probably complain about the high price of the FaceID device, however it is possible. Might need to plug it directly in to the computer. 

CheeseFreeze

I’m concerned with FaceID on Mac.
On an iPhone, which is is a mobile device, I hold my phone and look at the camera to unlock it. On a laptop I use my finger to unlock it. Very conscious actions.

A desktop machine and even a laptop with FaceID may accidentally unlock my machine when I don’t want it. So I hope they make the unlock process frictionless but not TOO frictionless so that it only unlocks when I want it to. 

22july2013 said:

MacBooks and iMacs both have cameras builtin to the same physical container as their CPU. This makes Face ID possible for them. But the Mac mini and Mac Pro don’t work like that. So they won’t be eligible. There needs to be a secure path from the camera to the secure element. 

I bet the Apple Silicon version of the iMac and Mac Pro is designed exactly like the mobile counterpart on that front. 

CheeseFreeze

jcallows said:

Xed said:

I've been waiting for this since Face ID first appeared.

Me too.  Then maybe they'll get rid of the Touch ID and the gimmicky Touch Bar (fingers crossed).

And with that change lower the price again. 

lkrupp

And I would assume a feature like FaceID will only be available on Apple Silicon Macs.

verne arase

Yeah, I can imagine this would be on the Apple silicon iMac and MacBooks.

A fingerprint sensor would be unlikely on a keyboard on the other side of USB or bluetooth, and this device would have a secure enclave. A Face ID camera on these Macs would yield secure authentication just by sitting in front of the Mac - even more convenient than hitting a key or clicking the mouse while wearing an Apple Watch - though susceptible to interference if wearing a mask. (Who'd've thunk wearing a mask would be a thing?)

The Mac SoCs will need an external memory interface and PCIe lanes. It would be unreasonable to expect differing memory configurations in the SoC considering how many configurations TSMC would have to produce. They'd need PCIe for Thunderbolt support anyway, and that would open the door to discrete GPU support. On chip graphics would yield a much higher level of integrated graphics support - you'd only have to cut over to discrete when things got really heavy.

The T2 chip Mac is probably the 2020 Intel Mac - the one with an Intel Skylake 10910 CPU and a Navi 5300 GPU. Hopefully this puppy will go all the way up to a 5700, though it may be in the same form factor as the current iMacs. On one hand, no thinner bezels or Face ID for this model, but on the other hand fairly kicking performance, boot camp, and user upgradable RAM. Hopefully they can upgrade the amount of SSD and bring down the SSD prices as they did with the 16" MacBook Pro. This is my next Mac when it releases.

I just don't see Apple producing a fingerprint sensor on a keyboard, and truth to tell I'm not a big fan of Apple's chicklet keys anyway. Am I showing my age? Do they still make chicklets 🤔?

StrangeDays

netrox said:

This only strengthens my suspicions that Apple is going for iPad style laptops. 

What does that mean? Are you saying the OS or the form factor? Personally I doubt either of those, especially based on this single rumor about FaceID alone. 

Banfoy

There is one other possibility: Apple is about to allow iPad Pro to boot into a Big Sur desktop environment 🤘

timfreitas

Why doesn't apple just make a camera with face recognition built into if for all of us who use desktop machines?

MplsP

lkrupp said:

And I would assume a feature like FaceID will only be available on Apple Silicon Macs.

Probably given what we know about the transition to Apple silicon, but there’s no reason it couldn’t be on an Intel Mac. MacBooks have had finger print sensors for a while now; what’s the difference between using one biometric vs another 

mtlion2020

with a mask?
/covid19

Xed

MplsP said:

lkrupp said:

And I would assume a feature like FaceID will only be available on Apple Silicon Macs.

Probably given what we know about the transition to Apple silicon, but there’s no reason it couldn’t be on an Intel Mac. MacBooks have had finger print sensors for a while now; what’s the difference between using one biometric vs another 

Face ID could have unique hurdles compared to Touch ID. For a single-user device Face ID may be simple enough to implement but there could be problems with having unlimited users have unique facial biometrics that log into unique user accounts.

On the iPhone, Touch ID allows 5 unique finger prints which can be anyone's, but Face ID only allows for one face (although you can add another with the Alternative Appearance option). No idea if the Alternative Appearance option will reduce the security of the biometric when used by another person.

On my MBP I have multiple accounts and I use a different fingerprint for different accounts. This wouldn't be possible with Face ID, but it really doesn't need to be. What probably does need to be resolved is being able to have many users on the same device with different faces who may be a very close genetic match (especially if they are a younger person).

Xed

CheeseFreeze said:

I’m concerned with FaceID on Mac.
On an iPhone, which is is a mobile device, I hold my phone and look at the camera to unlock it. On a laptop I use my finger to unlock it. Very conscious actions.

A desktop machine and even a laptop with FaceID may accidentally unlock my machine when I don’t want it. So I hope they make the unlock process frictionless but not TOO frictionless so that it only unlocks when I want it to. 

22july2013 said:

MacBooks and iMacs both have cameras builtin to the same physical container as their CPU. This makes Face ID possible for them. But the Mac mini and Mac Pro don’t work like that. So they won’t be eligible. There needs to be a secure path from the camera to the secure element. 

I bet the Apple Silicon version of the iMac and Mac Pro is designed exactly like the mobile counterpart on that front. 

I hope we get both options on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Xed

timfreitas said:

Why doesn't apple just make a camera with face recognition built into if for all of us who use desktop machines?

There are major hurdles for keeping the authentication separate from the machine. One solution is to effectively use an Apple Watch SoC/SiP with a T-series chip and Secure Enclave. Apple already allows remote authentication with the Apple Watch to unlock a Mac so Apple does believe that remote discreet authentication is secure enough for that feature.

The problem I see for Mac minis and Mac Pros is that they don't have the numbers to make creating a separate camera system with a complex OS just for authenticating your face (or even your fingerprint if we consider a keyboard) to make it worth the cost to bring it to market.