Gripping buttons on both sides of iPhone X disables Face ID, recognition works with most s...
Apple software chief Craig Federighi has revealed that Face ID unlock on the new iPhone X will come with a hidden security feature, allowing users to press buttons on both sides of the phone to temporarily disable the facial recognition capabilities.
Keith Krimbel emailed Federighi this week, and received a response which he share on Twitter. Krimbel asked what measures Apple was taking to ensure a thief cannot take a user's iPhone X, point it at their face and then run away with the device unlocked.
"There are two mitigations: if you don't stare at the phone, it won't unlock," Federighi said. "Also, if you grip the buttons on both sides of the phone when you hand it over, it will temporarily disable Face ID."
Krimbel also asked if Face ID will work with sunglasses, and Federighi explained that "most" but not all will not interfere with the biometric unlock mechanism.
"Most sunglasses let through enough IR light that Face ID can see your eyes even when the glasses appear to be opaque," he explained. "It's really amazing!"
The response from the Apple executive also included mention of the onstage error where Face ID did not work as expected. Apple has already explained that the feature actually worked as expected: The iPhone X prompted Federighi for a password because it had accidentally being prompted to unlock other, unauthorized faces before the device was put onstage.
"For those of us who have been living on the... iPhone X over the last months this has never been a real problem (hence my shock when it happened to me on stage! :-)," Federighi wrote.
Other tidbits about Face ID on the iPhone X continue to trickle out, including the fact that the technology will be limited to one face per device at launch. It was also revealed that Apple has been planning for Face ID to replace Touch ID entirely for over a year now, dispelling rumors that the company was trying to embed Touch ID into the iPhone X display as recently as this summer.
Apple's Face ID technology introduced in the iPhone X is made up of four components including an infrared camera, a flood illuminator, a dot projector, and the front camera. The combination of sensors generates a 3D map of the face that it compares to the mathematical models of the stored face, utilizing the new A11 Bionic neural engine.
Keith Krimbel emailed Federighi this week, and received a response which he share on Twitter. Krimbel asked what measures Apple was taking to ensure a thief cannot take a user's iPhone X, point it at their face and then run away with the device unlocked.
"There are two mitigations: if you don't stare at the phone, it won't unlock," Federighi said. "Also, if you grip the buttons on both sides of the phone when you hand it over, it will temporarily disable Face ID."
Krimbel also asked if Face ID will work with sunglasses, and Federighi explained that "most" but not all will not interfere with the biometric unlock mechanism.
"Most sunglasses let through enough IR light that Face ID can see your eyes even when the glasses appear to be opaque," he explained. "It's really amazing!"
The response from the Apple executive also included mention of the onstage error where Face ID did not work as expected. Apple has already explained that the feature actually worked as expected: The iPhone X prompted Federighi for a password because it had accidentally being prompted to unlock other, unauthorized faces before the device was put onstage.
"For those of us who have been living on the... iPhone X over the last months this has never been a real problem (hence my shock when it happened to me on stage! :-)," Federighi wrote.
Other tidbits about Face ID on the iPhone X continue to trickle out, including the fact that the technology will be limited to one face per device at launch. It was also revealed that Apple has been planning for Face ID to replace Touch ID entirely for over a year now, dispelling rumors that the company was trying to embed Touch ID into the iPhone X display as recently as this summer.
Apple's Face ID technology introduced in the iPhone X is made up of four components including an infrared camera, a flood illuminator, a dot projector, and the front camera. The combination of sensors generates a 3D map of the face that it compares to the mathematical models of the stored face, utilizing the new A11 Bionic neural engine.
Comments
But a pick pocket actually could point your phone at your face and run away with it unlocked ... if a person didn't know their phone had been lifted, and turned to look at someone yelling "hey you", only to find themselves looking at their iPhone held to their face, the thief could run off before the person even knew what was happening or that they had just unlocked their own iPhone for a thief they barely had time to notice.
But most of these are the usual silly questions. If someone holds you up and wants your phone unlocked, then they're going to get that to happen regardless of these features. Best just to hand it over unlocked. For the typical thief, this isn't going to be an issue.
This kind of fiction is best left to bad television.
Get ready to produce a lot of screenshots.
With this in mind, I don't see Face ID actually working with dark sunglasses. Anyone test that?
There was some special test they had to pass to make sure traffic lights were distinguishable while wearing the glasses no matter how dark they were. I think it was called the Q Factor or something but I'm not totally sure. Spectral transmission values?
I wonder if when Craig says most sunglasses should work, he means those that have complied with all the necessary testing requirements as opposed to the cheapo sunglasses sold by street vendors etc. Or if it really is just a question of opacity and therefore, trial and error.
These women would like a word with you, Craig Federighi...
okay, but it does not really do anything. You still have to use your password to remove your Apple account from the device! FaceID does not do that, and without it that device will still be traceable and locked.
Granted, the idea of the thief then shouting for her attention to unlock the phone, just as the doors were about to close so she couldn't follow is a bit extreme, but it's not impossible.
Again, that's no more absurd than the idea that a customer would not open their eyes to allow the phone to be unlocked during a holdup, or defeat the biometrics with a key press when "handing it over". It's absurd to even suggest a person in that situation would do either of those things, or anything else other than comply with the instructions of the robber. On the other hand, the question posed by the reporter is just as unlikely. Also foolish to ask. I find the fact that Apple was ready for such a question equally as disturbing. If anyone is being help up by a criminal with the opportunity to demand valuables, much less unlock an iPhone, then the correct procedure is 100% compliance, not some sly theatrics Apple contrived for just such an occasion.
To begin with, pickpockets are opportunists. They are interested in the device, not your personal data. Secondly, the idea that a pickpocket will draw attention to themselves by shouting "hey you" after they've just committed a crime is beyond laughable. How is that going to work on a crowded train? On a crowded street where most pickpockets operate?
But let's assume you are right, and pickpockets all over the world are happy to draw attention to themselves and encourage their victims to get a good look at them before they run off. (Don't forget that you're techno pickpocket will need a moment to check the phone to make sure it has unlocked, and then maybe another moment to ask the victim if they could try again) If this becomes a problem, then Apple will simply add optional face locking to Contacts, Calendar and Safari. The wallet is already safe (unless the techno pickpocket decides to flip to the wallet and shout "hey you" for a third time), so are the banking apps. In fact most apps that hold personal data already support locking, so if your scenario does happen (and I have to say, I'm somewhat sceptical) then the real danger is someone getting access to your game scores.
Sales of 1Password will go through the roof.