Apple has its eye on facial recognition tech
One of the major new features expected in the next iPhone is a new way to unlock the smartphone: with your face.
At first blush, this may not sound like a big deal. Android has had a version of facial recognition in its operating system since 2011. Samsung, Apple’s chief smartphone rival, has its own version of facial recognition — as well as irisscanning and the standard fingerprint reader.
But, thanks to major advances in face-scanning technology, this method is on the rise — and Apple is not the only company interested in the technology. Several companies, including Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Citibank have piloted or launched programs that use the technology as a means of verification in the past year.
In the past, there have been limitations. Hackers thwarted facial recognition sensors with photos or videos of a phone’s owner. Hats or even certain skin tones bewildered sensors. And, of course, there’s the problem of identical twins.
But recent advances in facial recognition technology have addressed some of these issues. Depthsensing cameras are able to map a sort of three-dimensional map of a face, rather than simply relying on images. That makes it harder to fool. Even twins often have slight differences in their bone structure or head shape, which make for a much more accurate individual identification. An accessory may still throw off a sensor’s recognition, experts say, but not as easily.
Apple’s reasons are simple, said Gene Munster, managing partner of Loup Ventures: It wants a bigger screen.
On current iPhones, the fingerprint sensor is in the home button on the front of the phone. But Apple is said to be ditching the home button completely, as part of a goal to make the front of the phone nearly all-screen.