Apple Face ID is the next generation biometric authentication method the company has built into the iPhone X. At the Keynote presentation, Apple Face ID was presented as more secure than Touch ID. Apple says Face ID is so secure that there is only a 1 in 1,000,000 chance of someone else using their face to unlock your phone. Apple Face ID is also supposed to reject photos of you, masks, and pretty much any attempt to fool it. Apple did make some exceptions to the rules. Face ID can be fooled by identical twins, but what about siblings?
Theoretically, Face ID shouldn’t unlock the phone if you and your sibling aren’t identical and are five years apart in age. Now, a real-world test shows that Face ID can be fooled by siblings. In a Reddit post, Reddit user mohanishs and his brother demo how they fooled Apple Face ID. You can see the video on the Reddit post.
The brothers are five years apart, and while they do bear a slight resemblance, it’s clear they aren’t identical twins. If you watch the video you can see Face ID unlock the phone for both brothers while wearing glasses. When the second brother takes his glasses off, Face ID works properly and does not unlock.
There have been extensive tests by tech sites like Mashable, CNET, and others showing Face ID working every time except with identical twins. This real-world test shows that Face ID isn’t perfect and still has some bugs to work out. Longtime tech writer Mike Elgan penned a piece titled, “Critics are wrong to slam iPhone X’s new face tech.” In that piece, he basically says that critics should acknowledge that Apple is doing scanning right.
I would agree with Mike in that I think Apple does deserve some kudos for making improvements in facial scanning. But I also don’t think we should give them a pass when real-world tests like this show it needs more bugs worked out. I’m rooting for Apple Face ID, and I hope the bugs can be worked out quickly. Although, I still don’t think it’s currently faster than Touch ID.
What do you think of this real-world test of Apple Face ID? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
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