The facial recognition system that Apple is rumored to be introducing through the iPhone 8 is starting to sound too good to be true, as more information regarding the technology has been discovered in the firmware code of the HomePod smart speaker.
The new specifics about the feature follow a bevy of other iPhone 8 details found in HomePod firmware code last week.
New Details On iPhone 8 Face ID Feature
According to a discovery made by iHelp BR, the iPhone 8 facial recognition system is capable of working even when the smartphone is at an odd angle. For example, users will still be able to access the feature even if the smartphone is lying flat on a table, eliminating the need to hold the iPhone 8 up to unlock it.
The feature, reportedly named Face ID to mirror the naming convention of the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, is said to be known internally as Pearl. The new discovery found in the HomePod code coincides with the details found last week, describing the Face ID feature as very advanced and secure compared to the one used by the Samsung Galaxy S8, which was said to have been tricked by a photo of the user's face.
In addition to being able to scan the user's face while resting on a surface, Face ID is also said to be capable of recognizing faces even while in the dark. The Apple version of the facial recognition feature also captures more data points, which makes it more secure than Samsung's version and even its own Touch ID.
The HomePod firmware also included references to Face ID being used with third-party apps, which means that users could also be using their face to unlock apps or to activate certain features within them. There is also apparently a feature that will automatically place the iPhone 8 on lockdown if a person other than the user attempts to gain access to the smartphone through Face ID.
Will Face ID Replace Touch ID In iPhone 8?
According to previous reports, Apple found itself in panic mode as software problems have plagued the development of the iPhone 8, including the facial recognition system. There were also some claims that Apple will completely drop Touch ID in the iPhone 8 in favor of Face ID which might be a bad idea as the facial recognition system is only making its debut.
Whether Face ID will replace or launch alongside Touch ID in the iPhone 8 will be revealed once Apple officially unveils the smartphone, expected to be sometime in September.
