Apple's iPhone X passes twin test in early hands-on with Face ID

By Roger Fingas

Helping to support Apple's accuracy claims, a video published on Tuesday shows the iPhone X's Face ID system reacting as intended, even when confronted with identical twins.

In the beginning of the video, posted by Business Insider, one of the twins tries on sunglasses, a hat, a scarf, and then all three, challenging Apple's assertions that Face ID can ignore those changes. The phone passes all four tests.

When confronted with both twins sans any accessories, the phone unlocks for one of them but not the other, despite there being little difference between the two people.

"I was pretty shocked that the iPhone X could really pick apart the details between me and my brother considering some of our own family members can't tell us apart," one of the twins comments. "So, yeah, it was a pleasant surprise knowing that Brian can't break into my iPhone X and I can't break into my brother's."

Face ID depends on the X's TrueDepth camera, which incldes a dot projector, an infrared sensor, and an infrared flood illuminator. Apple has also claimed that it can't be fooled by photos or masks, and will adapt not just to accessories but aging and facial hair.

The first iPhone X shipments are set to arrive on Friday. AppleInsider, however, got an early first look at the device.