[iphone] Apple Touch ID

[nicholab]

Why did apple get rid of Touch ID to me it seems so natural? How do you check your phone is locked if looking at it unlocks it?

 

I use Face ID on a PC and that works well.

[rush_tech]

They havn't got rid of it, it's still on some iPads. There is also rumors that it will return as a underscreen reader to the iphone which will be good as I do agree its very useful

[Norphy]

Well, when you activate the screen, there's a little picture of a padlock at the top of the screen. When the phone is locked, it's in a locked position. When FaceID activates, the lock slides into an unlocked position.

 

As to why Apple have replaced Touch ID with Face ID on their higher end devices, I can see a variety of possible reasons:

 

1) Apple claim it's more accurate, they say the chances of someone else unlocking your device is 1 in a million rather than 1 in 50,000 with TouchID. I've found that there are fewer authentication failures with Face ID than with Touch ID too, handy when you're using your phone to pay for something.

2) The form factor of the phone - Face ID devices need much less of the device set aside for the Face ID sensors than they do for TouchID, so more of the front of device is given over to screen than it would be with Touch ID. I didn't think it would make much difference until I tried a phone with that much screen. Going back to an iPhone 7 from an XR a few years ago showed me how mistaken I was. Of course, Apple could put in an optical fingerprint scanner which go under the screen but those are probably less accurate and IME more error prone than capacitive readers. They could also put one on the back or side of the device but I guess that wouldn't fit their aesthetic.

3) Convenience - look at your phone and it's instantly unlocked. That made a feature that Apple brought in to hide your notifications until the phone was unlocked more convenient as well, as someone else would be able to pick up your phone and not be able to see what you've been sent. Handily, the phone also doesn't unlock until you look directly at it with open eyes, so someone can't just shove the thing in front of your face and have it automatically unlock.

4) You can unlock your phone without taking off your gloves! Great in cold weather.

 

 

Overall I think Face ID is better experience than Touch ID. Touch ID isn't bad by any definition of the word but Face ID is a clear evolution and an improvement.

Edited January 19, 2023 by Norphy

[elsiegee40]

It hasn’t disappeared from iPads. The home button has gone with the newest models, but touch id is still there on the power button.

 

Phones have facial recognition now and they even work with face mask in the newer models.

 

It took me a short time to get out of the thumb print habit, but I don’t miss it. As for checking if it’s locked, just don’t point it straight at your face when checking. It’s not hard!

 

I have turned off the auto wake feature which wakes the phone as soon as you pick it up because it’s just annoying.

 

Mr gee40 copes fine with facial recognition and auto wake and he is absolutely terrible with anything techie

Edited January 19, 2023 by elsiegee40

[nicholab]

It hasn’t disappeared from iPads. The home button has gone with the newest models, but touch id is still there on the power button.

 

Phones have facial recognition now and they even work with face mask in the newer models.

 

It took me a short time to get out of the thumb print habit, but I don’t miss it. As for checking if it’s locked, just don’t point it straight at your face when checking. It’s not hard!

 

I have turned off the auto wake feature which wakes the phone as soon as you pick it up because it’s just annoying.

 

Mr gee40 copes fine with facial recognition and auto wake and he is absolutely terrible with anything techie [emoji3]

 

I did have the XR for work and I found it stupid bug and the Face ID was annoying.

 

How did you cope with it during covid?

 

I don’t want to use a pin in public after hearing what happened to someone in this weeks money box with their banking apps.

 

Also how did this work for you during covid?

[Norphy]

If you don't want a device with Face ID, buy an iPhone SE. They come with the same CPU as an iPhone 13 and non-pro 14. The only disadvantage is that it comes with a smaller screen and it only has one rear-facing camera.

[3s-gtech]

I destroy my finger tips all the time (welding, grinding etc) so had to disable TouchID on my phone as it never worked properly! [emoji28]

[elsiegee40]

I did have the XR for work and I found it stupid bug and the Face ID was annoying.

 

How did you cope with it during covid?

 

I don’t want to use a pin in public after hearing what happened to someone in this weeks money box with their banking apps.

 

Also how did this work for you during covid?

 

My banking app has a different PIN to the phone and it uses face ID. Periodically the banking app insists the PIN is re-entered.

 

I managed fine during Covid. Slipped my mask down for the few seconds it took to enable applepay and then slipped it back up again. I pay with apple pay for just about everything. I still haven’t caught Covid. I have an XS.

 

Mr gee40 has a 12 and that recognises him when wearing a mask.

[Roberto]

Why did apple get rid of Touch ID to me it seems so natural? How do you check your phone is locked if looking at it unlocks it?

 

Touch ID is quite natural. The only thing that comes more naturally than touching a mobile phone screen would be looking at it. Hence Face ID.

As for checking it's locked - set different wallpaper on your lock screen from that on the screen your main apps are on. Simples. Or look for the padlock that's on screen. Or hit the power button, which should lock it. Why do you need to "check" that the screen is locked? Do you think it unlocks itself for funsies when you're not looking? Both iOS and Android allow you to configure your device to lock after moments of not being used, and the ones that support Face ID or whatever Google called their variant also have a setting that requires you to be looking at/paying attention to the phone, not simply be near it.

[Bompalompalomp]

I destroy my finger tips all the time (welding, grinding etc) so had to disable TouchID on my phone as it never worked properly! [emoji28]

 

I broke my touch ID three days after getting my 6S... It's the one part of the front of the phone a screen protector can't cover and on a fluke it fell out of my pocket and hit the corner of a chair right on that spot!

[nicholab]

I am in IT sometimes I want to check it locked. May be a windows mind set.

[Roberto]

May be a windows mind set.

 

Do you think Windows randomly unlocks itself when you’re not looking too?

[nicholab]

Do you think Windows randomly unlocks itself when you’re not looking too?

 

I have just locked my PC and it starts face scanning to unlock.

[Norphy]

I really don't understand the point you're trying to make. Of course it will start face scanning to unlock, the lockscreen is active and it's going to be scanning for your face. That's not random and it's not going to unlock itself if you're not there or if your screen is off. Just like an iPhone doesn't.

[Roberto]

I have just locked my PC and it starts face scanning to unlock.

 

So, not unlocking when you’re not looking, then?