iPhone 8 To Tout 3D Facial Recognition, No Touch ID To Boost Security
Apple’s iPhone 8 is expected to be launched sometime in September, and rumors are rife that the next-gen handset may be equipped with 3D face recognition technology. Apple is said to have completely redesigned its 2017 flagship smartphone, which is anticipated to release alongside the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus. Along with minimal bezels, the iPhone 8 is also touted to sport an OLED display and not the usual LED panel.
However, there has been some doubt regarding the biometric sensors that the device will sport. Some reports and experts suggest that the Cupertino-based company is trying to embed the Touch ID sensor in the display itself. However, others contradict the assertion and reveal that the company may have failed to find a viable way to do so.
According to a new report from Bloomberg, which cites sources familiar with the matter, Apple intends to completely ditch the Touch ID sensor i.e. the smartphone’s fingerprint sensor. Instead, the company may decide to incorporate a 3D facial recognition technology in the upcoming handset. Rumors about the new technology have been doing the rounds for some time now.
3D Facial Recognition On iPhone 8
Earlier in February this year, JPMorgan analyst Rod Hall claimed that the upcoming iPhone 8 will house the facial recognition technology instead of the Touch ID sensor.
In May, reports hinted that LG Innotek would supply the parts needed to build the technology. It was also revealed that LG would specifically build a plant, which would manufacture only those facial recognition modules that would be delivered to Apple.
The rumors of such a technology making its way to the iPhone were further fueled when KGI Securities’ analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that the iPhone 8 would have a revolutionary front-facing camera with 3D sensing capabilities.
How Will The 3D Facial Recognition Technology Work?
According to Kuo, the front camera on the iPhone will house two laser modules, which would be capable of judging the depth and location of objects that are placed in its field of view. In the Bloomberg report, the sources also claimed that the technology can scan a person’s face and verify if it is authentic in a matter of just milliseconds.
They also shared that people would not have to keep the device close to their faces while it scanned, as the new technology is functional even when a smartphone is kept at the normal distance while being used. In fact, the 3D facial recognition would work even when the iPhone is kept on a flat table, without the need for a user to pick it up.
Is 3D Facial Recognition More Secure Than Touch ID?
Bloomberg’s sources claim that while testing out the new technology, it was established that the 3D facial recognition is much more secure than the standard Touch ID sensors housed in previous iPhones. This is mainly because the new feature scans more data points than a fingerprint scanner does.
However, the sources have suggested that the new 3D facial recognition technology may not be ready in time for the iPhone 8’s launch and may not be present in the upcoming device, but will be housed in the future smartphones from Apple.
[Featured Image by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images]
