Apple considered adding Face ID to 24-inch iMac

Apple allegedly considered adding Face ID to its refresh of the 24-inch iMac, but the Mac maker is more likely to add the biometric security feature to a desktop Mac display long before it lands on a MacBook Pro.

Apple's introduction of a display notch in the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro opened up the possibility of Apple bringing Face ID from the iPhone to the Mac. While the notch strongly points to it being a future inclusion, it seems that Apple was looking in another direction for the transition.

Rather than a MacBook Pro, Apple's first real consideration for Face ID in a Mac was for the 24-inch iMac, according to Mark Gurman in his Bloomberg "Power On" newsletter. It is claimed "Face ID was in the cards for the original M1 iMac."

While it didn't have a notch, the iMac was apparently a firm favorite for the feature since its display was sufficiently thick enough for the components to fit. The MacBook lineup has "fairly thin screens" that are capable of containing the FaceTime HD camera, but without enough depth for what's needed for Face ID to work.

Due to the thinness of MacBooks, Gurman believes that if Face ID does make it to the Mac, it will be "on an iMac or external monitor first." Apple apparently "has definitely been working on this, but time will tell if they launch it."

Gurman's comments echo earlier reports on the subject, including one from January 2021 saying Apple had been working on the feature, but that it was unlikely to arrive in 2021 at all. By July the same year, it was reckoned that Face ID would move over to Mac within a few years.

10 Comments

wood1208 2932 comments · 10 Years

About 2 years ago

FaceID is great biometric authentication tech but not for every scenarios or gadget.

rob53 3307 comments · 13 Years

About 2 years ago

wood1208 said:

FaceID is great biometric authentication tech but not for every scenarios or gadget.

I like it on my iPhone and would enjoy it on a newer iPad. When it comes to the iMac it needs to be able to save multiple faces and either go back to the logon screen when it sees a different face or automatically change to the new user. This feature would be customizable to also lock the screen when the user leaves. I can see this being used in corporate, educational and government environments especially those creating sensitive and classified information. It would keep people from typing on a person’s computer without their knowledge (yes, this happens a lot).

As for other gadgets, it would be interesting for an Apple TV remote, bringing up your account on every TV app without you having to scroll all over the place.

As for Apple Watch I don’t see how it would be integrated into the face. With a cellular version you don’t need an iPhone (?) nearby so some other process, ECG?, would need to be developed.

It’s always fun thinking of new ways to enhance Apple products. I had my first Mac at work on 1989 and they’ll have to pull my iPhone 44 out of my cold dead hands!

bloggerblog 2514 comments · 16 Years

About 2 years ago

I’m actually happy with just having the Touch ID on the keyboard. I feel it’s more deliberate than Face ID. Touch ID does not allow me to accidentally login into something.