Roger Fingas
A video uploaded on Tuesday suggests that the Face ID system on Apple's iPhone X could be fooled not just by twins, but by any family member who bears enough resemblance.
In the the clip, a woman unlocks her phone using Face ID, locks it again, then hands it to her 10-year-old son. The son unlocks it on his first try.
In its current incarnation, Face ID is only able to store one face at a time, meaning that the iPhone made a false match between people of two different ages and sexes.
The technology is meant to adapt to changes in appearance, such as aging, makeup, and facial hair, as well as accessories like hats, scarves, and some sunglasses. That leniency could be what allows two family members to pass for each other, at least when they have a similar facial structure.
Shortly after the iPhone X's launch, it became common to test Face ID with identical twins. Sometimes it passed, other times not.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
96 Comments
What happened to Face ID not being suitable for people under the age of 13?
Kids grow faster than adult and their facial contours change faster so not a validity of Face Id short coming. Remember, Face id is more software than hardware so it gets better and better over time. Hypothetically one can produce multiple genetically engineered kids like sheeps they did a while back and prove Appe's face id failed to differentiate among them.
OMG will these videos ever stop? FFS...we all know its not a perfect system, just as TouchID isn't. There's no such thing as a fool proof system. As I remember, we went through the same crap for weeks on end with people trying to get around TouchID and some did as I recall.
There's some circumstantial evidence that ambient lighting plays a part in this. After her son's first round of successfully unlocking her phone, with Face ID seeing his face as hers, the mom reset her phone and did the typical Face ID initial setup for a second time but now under bright outdoor lighting. Her son couldn't access her phone afterwards, each of his attempts failed with FaceID working as it should. Then the phone was reset yet again and set up under indoor lighting as she had the first time. Her son then had better success with his face unlocking her phone about half the time, and eventually after several uses working every time.
So perhaps if you go outdoors on a sunny day for initial setup it will increase the chances that only your face will unlock your iPhone X. Or take Apple's advice and use passcode instead of Face ID if you have serious concerns about siblings or others accessing your phone. Personally I wouldn't. Heck I could not care any less if my wife wishes to use my phone when hers is in the bedroom or wherever.
Now why ambient lighting conditions would have any impact on Face ID is a good question. I don't know.