Face ID is a facial recognition system that replaces Apple's Touch ID fingerprint scanner on some devices. It uses sensors arranged around the iPhone's front camera to scan your face, and if the scan matches the data in the file, you are presented with various functions (including unlocking the phone)..
What is Face ID used for on iPhone?
Face ID is used for a lot of functions which are similar to those of Touch ID. The most important are:
- Unlock iPhone instead of entering passcode.
- Authorize Apple Pay transactions.
What devices support Face ID?
The only device that currently supports Face ID is iPhone X.
It's a safety bet like when Touch ID started out on iPhone and then was added to other devices like iPad, Face ID will appear on other devices sooner or later as well..
How does Face ID work?
The notch at the top of the iPhone X screen is where the Face ID sensors are installed. These sensors include:
- Dot projector: This represents 30,000 invisible dots on your face. Points are used to map the structure and depth of your face. According to Apple, this creates a three-dimensional “single face map”.
- An infrared camera: This camera makes it possible to read the points of the projector and to capture an image.
- A flood illuminator: This additional infrared light helps ensure that the system is working even in the dark.
The facial card captured by the infrared camera corresponds to the data recorded on your iPhone which will make it possible to unblock or authorize the Apple Pay transaction.
Apple says the system is smart and sensitive, so much so that it can even recognize you if you change your hairstyle, start wearing glasses, or change the style of your mustache..
Is my face scan saved in iCloud?
No, Face ID face scans are not saved in iCloud. All face scans are saved directly to your iPhone.
They are kept in "Security Enclave", one of the chips specially dedicated to the protection of confidential data. This is also where the fingerprint information created by Touch ID is saved.
How safe is my face scan?
The way Security Enclave works makes Face ID more secure. Your facial scan is not currently saved on your iPhone. Instead, when the facial scan is created, it is converted to a number that represents the scan. This is saved in your iPhone.
Even though a hacker could gain access to the data in your iPhone's Security Enclave, all they can steal is a number, not an actual scan of your face. This means that they could not use the data to submit your information to another facial recognition system.
How does Face ID compare to other smartphone facial recognition systems?
There is a phone with this type of technology: Samsung S8. Unfortunately, this system can easily show errors, and even unlock the device with a photo. Due to this, the Samsung system seems not to be secure enough.
Samsung doesn't allow face scans to approve transactions (like what Touch ID can do on an iPhone).
How to turn off Face ID on iPhone?
If you need to quickly turn off Face ID, press the iPhone side button and the volume down button at the same time. In order to activate Face ID again, you will need to re-enter your passcode.
