Apple Face ID
See also Authentication, Personal identification number (PIN), Password, Password manager, Single signon, MFA-2FA, Microsoft Hello, Facial recognition, Biometric authentication, Iris recognition, Retinal scan, Eye vein verification, Recognition, Fingerprint recognition
Apple Face ID is a facial recognition system introduced by Apple Inc. in 2017 with the launch of the iPhone X. Designed as a secure and convenient biometric authentication method, Face ID replaces the Touch ID fingerprint scanner on supported devices. The system uses a TrueDepth camera to project over 30,000 infrared dots onto the user’s face, creating a detailed 3D map. This data is processed by Apple’s Neural Engine in real-time to authenticate users securely while adapting to changes in appearance, such as facial hair or accessories. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Face_ID
The TrueDepth camera in Face ID integrates a flood illuminator, an infrared camera, and a dot projector to function in various lighting conditions, including complete darkness. Apple has engineered Face ID to work seamlessly with apps and services, such as unlocking the device, authorizing payments via Apple Pay, and signing into accounts. The system uses on-device processing to ensure that facial data never leaves the device, enhancing privacy and security. This local processing approach complies with strict data protection regulations, making Face ID a reliable and secure biometric solution. https://www.apple.com/iphone/features/
Since its debut, Face ID has expanded to other devices, including the iPad Pro and newer models of the iPhone. Enhancements in the A-series and M-series chips, such as faster Neural Engines, have improved Face ID's accuracy and response times. Face ID also incorporates liveness detection to prevent spoofing using photos or masks. This feature, combined with its advanced machine learning algorithms, solidifies Face ID as one of the most secure facial recognition systems available in consumer technology. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208108
- Snippet from Wikipedia: Face ID
Face ID is a biometric authentication facial recognition system designed and developed by Apple Inc. for the iPhone and iPad Pro. The system can be used for unlocking a device, making payments, accessing sensitive data, providing detailed facial expression tracking for Animoji, as well as six degrees of freedom (6DOF) head-tracking, eye-tracking, and other features. Initially released in November 2017 with the iPhone X, it has since been updated and introduced to all iPhones outside of SE models and all iPad Pro models from 2018 onwards. Users on iOS 18 and newer can choose to lock specific apps, requiring Face ID to access them.
The Face ID hardware uses a TrueDepth Camera that consists of a sensor with three modules; a laser dot projector that projects a grid of small infrared dots onto a user's face, a module called the flood illuminator that shines infrared light at the face, and an infrared camera that takes an infrared picture of the user, reads the resulting pattern, and generates a 3D facial map. This map is compared with the registered face using a secure subsystem, and the user is authenticated if the two faces match sufficiently. The system can recognize faces with glasses, clothing, makeup, and facial hair, and it adapts to changes in appearance over time. Concerns regarding the safety of longterm infrared facial screening has been debated and studied.
Face ID has sparked a number of debates about security and privacy. Apple claims that Face ID is statistically more advanced than Touch ID fingerprint scanning. It exhibits significantly fewer false positives. Multiple security features are in place to limit the risk of the system being bypassed using photos or masks, and only one proof-of-concept attempt using detailed scans has succeeded. Debate continues over the lack of legal protections offered by biometric systems as compared to passcode authentication in the United States. Privacy advocates have also expressed concern about third-party app developers' access to "rough maps" of user facial data, despite rigid requirements by Apple of how developers handle facial data. Privacy concerns also exist regarding the use FaceID data to retrieve other personal information stored on Apple technology.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was noted that Face ID was unable to recognize users wearing face coverings on some devices. Apple responded to criticism by offering faster fallback to passcode input, and the option for Apple Watch users to confirm whether they intended to unlock their iPhone. In March 2022, Apple released iOS 15.4 which adds mask-compatible Face ID for iPhone 12 and later devices.
- About Face ID advanced technology: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208108