Per Jon Prosser and Front Page Tach, Apple is rumored to be internally testing an upgrade to its Face ID feature for the iPhone 13.
Citing internal sources, the iPhone 13 will feature an upgraded Face ID facial recognition sensor that’s tuned to identify a match even when a mask or glasses are worn. He adds that Apple employees have specifically tested the feature while wearing masks and glasses.
Internally, Apple employees are being asked to wear masks AND glasses to test the new hardware. Some tests are conducted with masks on / masks off. Others are conducted with glasses on / glasses off while wearing a mask.
According to what we’ve been told, the testing goes pretty in depth with several indoor / outdoor tests that include every style of eye glasses and mask.
It’s thought that Apple could be specifically retraining its neural network to allow for Face ID to identify the users based on parts of the face that aren’t exposed. Given the magnitude of this task, especially with biometric security as an alternative to entering a passcode, this could prove especially challenging.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made mask wearing a globally welcomed practice, and Apple has previously designed features to alleviate Face ID’s inability to recognize a masked face. iPhone users who wear an Apple Watch can optionally bypass Face ID if the Apple Watch with a passcode detects its presence on your wrist.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via 9to5Mac and Front Page Tech