Masks are here to stay. All over the world, people have been extensively using facial masks while working or indoors. This change will become an integral part of the world post the coronavirus pandemic. While this change has promoted better hygiene and restricts the spread of bacteria and viruses, it has made one job trickier! While Face ID has made the unlocking process lightning-fast and seamless, it has been rendered ineffective as people wear masks to cover their faces. None of the iPhones, which are Face ID-enabled, recognize the faces of the users wearing masks. Apple’s Face ID-enabled models are iPhone 10 series and the latest iPhone 11 range.
Why Are the iPhone Users Struggling?
When iPhone X was launched, Apple did away with the Touch ID as the Face-id was promoted as a safer authentication option. In recent iPhones (10 & 11), iOS is wired in such a way that when Face-Id fails, the users are prompted to enter the passcode to unlock their phones. But now that most of the users are wearing face masks, and only after the Face id fails initially, the passcode screen comes up. Hence, there is a delay in the process of unlocking the phone, which is annoying for the users. Also, users may even try to hurriedly remove the masks to unlock the phones while they are outdoors, increasing the risk of exposure to the virus.
New Update :
Now the tech giant has come up with a beta update that will altogether bypass the Face-id and bring in the passcode screen directly if the user is wearing a facial mask. Although now you still have to enter the passcode to unlock the phone, it is much quicker and hassle-free. In the new update iOS 13.5 Beta 3, it will have a provision to swipe up and enter the passcode directly without waiting for the Face-id to time-out.
Announcement and More Features:
Even though the news about the beta update is out, Apple has not officially announced when these new features will be launched. It is also rumoured that the new iOS 13 Beta 3 software will introduce applications to introduce contact tracing, which means to know whether they were exposed to someone who has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Also, the beta would allow users to toggle the notifications about COVID-19 exposure.
So, we can say that Apple has indeed come up with “ a modern solution for a modern problem”.
