Apple could be contemplating making Face ID the standard biometric security mechanism across all its future iPhone range, claimed KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. That would mean junking the Touch ID sensor that has served the purpose so far since the iPhone 5s.
The new Face ID technology happens to be the one of the biggest draws with the new iPhone X, apart from the all-screen display of the phone of course. Apple is also claiming it to be the safest around, with a one in a million chance of it ever getting duped.
In contrast, the Touch ID has a much slimmer safety credential, with one in 50,000 chances of it getting unlocked at random.
Another aspect in favor of Face ID is its technological edge over Apple’s rivals, which puts the new iPhone X head and shoulder above the rest.
Apple is claiming its new Face ID to be at least 2 years ahead of its competitors that continue to rely on the fingerprint scanner technology to authenticate users. Interestingly, Apple too has been the pioneers here, having first popularised the concept with Touch ID on the iPhone 5S back in 2013.
Apple also said they have worked extensively with professional mask makers including those associated with Hollywood to ensure Face ID just cannot possibly be tricked by a 3D mask or anything of that sort.
This further highlights the security aspect of Face ID, making it virtually impregnable in real-life situations.
However, so much for all the great benefits that Face ID stands for, the technology is yet to pass the crucial user tests. While Apple seems confident of it capable of capturing user’s imagination just the way Touch ID did, the technology is yet to reach the hands of the masses.
Also, it is here that we get to the second and potentially larger hurdle to its widespread implementation, manufacturing challenges. One of the core aspects of the new Face ID technology is its True Depth sensor that creates a true 3D image of the face. This makes it crucial to creating a realistic image of the face that would serve as the password for future unlocking of the device.
However, manufacturing of the Face ID component is also proving to be a huge challenge and is also one of the reasons that is hampering iPhone X production as a whole.
So while Apple sure can benefit from the security advantage that Face ID stands for, making it available to the masses could be an entirely different aspect altogether.
