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C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
Are you repeating my post with different words? Or am I not completely awake yet.....
Doesn't seem like it since I'm certainly not saying that Touch ID is something horrible or outdated in general.
 

snipr125

macrumors 68020
Oct 17, 2015
2,006
3,122
UK
I heard that one of the iPads has this feature, but it's not as responsive. Do you have any experience? I think this would have been a really good idea for this new generation of iPhones.
The ipad air 4 has touch id in the power button, and i categorically state that it works as fast and responsively as touch id on the home button. In my opinion this is the best implementation for an all screen iphone in the future with touch id. Touch id under the screen would be fine if apple could perfect it, but judging by how it works on android phones its hit and miss right now.
 
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TrueBlou

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2014
4,531
3,619
Scotland
Hopefully by the next time I upgrade my iPhone in 2 years time there will be both forms. I’ve never really thought about TouchID being a nuisance in the cold British weather before but then even with FaceID I’m taking my gloves off anyway as touchscreens and the appropriate gloves are still a pain in the backside. The place where I find FaceID inconvenient the most is when I’m at work when my iPhone is on my desk. I can no longer unlock it easily without picking it up and covert checking of notifications is now a thing of the past. They both seem to have limitations which is why it would be handy to have both.


Yeah the desk thing can be annoying at first. I've found just two ways I can overcome this - beyond picking it up of course. Having my iPhone sat just to the left of my keyboard, at a 45 degree angle, the screen unlocks just fine. Or, behind the keyboard, but resting on something, so it's slightly angled towards me, also works.

I'll admit, those are specific to me, not everyone has their desk laid out like mine. But the anywhere flexibility of TouchID would be nice.
 
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5105973

Cancelled
Sep 11, 2014
12,132
19,733
The ipad air 4 has touch id in the power button, and i categorically state that it works as fast and responsively as touch id on the home button. In my opinion this is the best implementation for an all screen iphone in the future with touch id. Touch id under the screen would be fine if apple could perfect it, but judging by how it works on android phones its hit and miss right now.
It’s not only hit and miss on my Samsung S20, it makes it pretty much impossible to use tempered glass screen protectors. The last time I looked into it, only the very expensive very difficult Whitestone Dome brand worked...sometimes. I just use the film one that Samsung preinstalled, which is flimsy and only offers scratch protection.

This is my third Samsung phone with an in screen FPS and for me, it is so unreliable or slow to work when it does recognize my prints that I can’t reliably transact any business on it. I’ve gone to very complex more secure passwords for my accounts, so without being able to rely on biometric authentication, every transaction becomes an ordeal if I can’t get the phone to recognize my print.

I can use their primitive form of facial recognition to sometimes unlock just the phone itself, but not to transact business.

The new S21 line is not rumored to have any improvements to the FPS so I don’t care how appealing they make the rest of the hardware, their phones are unviable for me.

So if Apple adds back any kind of fingerprint sensor, I hope it’s not under the display. I hope they use the Apple logo on the back or something like the iPad Air has.
 

Mac2019

macrumors 6502a
Feb 12, 2016
621
228
I am in the Face ID>Touch ID camp but can see the benefits of both, especially in the day and age of face masks (although this shouldn't be an issue for much long now that we have vaccines). For me, a fingerprint sensor in the power button where it is now would do the job as it just seems so much easier to use your thumb on the sensor whilst holding it with one hand. For me, that seems so much easier than having on top, but each to their own.
 

The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Dec 15, 2010
30,974
20,168
UK
with rumours saying we will get Touch ID under the display in iPhone 13 and having both Touch ID and Face ID I think would be great to have the best of both worlds.
 
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snipr125

macrumors 68020
Oct 17, 2015
2,006
3,122
UK
It’s not only hit and miss on my Samsung S20, it makes it pretty much impossible to use tempered glass screen protectors. The last time I looked into it, only the very expensive very difficult Whitestone Dome brand worked...sometimes. I just use the film one that Samsung preinstalled, which is flimsy and only offers scratch protection.

This is my third Samsung phone with an in screen FPS and for me, it is so unreliable or slow to work when it does recognize my prints that I can’t reliably transact any business on it. I’ve gone to very complex more secure passwords for my accounts, so without being able to rely on biometric authentication, every transaction becomes an ordeal if I can’t get the phone to recognize my print.

I can use their primitive form of facial recognition to sometimes unlock just the phone itself, but not to transact business.

The new S21 line is not rumored to have any improvements to the FPS so I don’t care how appealing they make the rest of the hardware, their phones are unviable for me.

So if Apple adds back any kind of fingerprint sensor, I hope it’s not under the display. I hope they use the Apple logo on the back or something like the iPad Air has.
Grumpy mom yes you are absolutely right regarding the galaxy s20. My wife has a s20 plus and we always register each others prints on our phones for emergencies, and because well we trust each other. Her prints totally fine on my previous iphone SE, but all kinda of issues when i use the in screen reader on her s20 plus, to the point now where it just does not recognise my thumb print anymore!
 
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johnnylarue

macrumors 65816
Aug 20, 2013
1,033
581
They’re both annoying. Masks aside, I hate having to aim the phone at my face (or vice versa) to unlock it. But I also hate that Touch ID gets buggy when my hands are dry in the winter months.

Can’t win. ;)
 
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M87

macrumors 65816
Jul 18, 2009
1,259
290
I had lots of issues with touch id not recognizing my fingerprint. Face id is practically flawless for me. No way in hell I’d ever want to go back.
 
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Never mind

macrumors 65816
Oct 25, 2018
1,071
1,191
Dunedin, Florida
They’re both annoying. Masks aside, I hate having to aim the phone at my face (or vice versa) to unlock it. But I also hate that Touch ID gets buggy when my hands are dry in the winter months.

Can’t win. ;)

if those two are annoying, then what are you left with? You can tap in your ID each and every time, or perhaps someday, Apple will come up with a way that will allow Siri to open the phone with your voice. :apple: Of course, if you are voice impaired, that leaves out the voice suggestion.
 

SisterBlue22

macrumors demi-goddess
Apr 29, 2015
2,581
6,031
Arizona
I'd settle for a sensor in the power button. But the under-screen version would be awesome!
My husband has a Galaxy Z Fold (yes, we are a household divided!), and the fingerprint sensor is on the power button on the right side of the phone, and it's awful...it's constantly trying to scan your fingerprint even if you aren't trying, because you naturally rest your thumb or finger there just holding the phone.
 
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x-evil-x

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
5,597
3,281
living with faceid since the X I thought it was nice but over time its just bad. Cant unlock on a table. Cant unlock in most occasions if its far from your face. Dont get me started with a face mask. Im literally putting in my password 30 times a day for months. Apple missed the mark with putting Touch ID back into the home button like the iPads.
I want the notch gone.
I want touchid back. I like the added screen real estate but I could care less about faceid now after 3 years. Its nice if you are using your phone straight in front of your face. Otherwise its worthless and more annoying than anything.
 
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johnnylarue

macrumors 65816
Aug 20, 2013
1,033
581
if those two are annoying, then what are you left with? You can tap in your ID each and every time, or perhaps someday, Apple will come up with a way that will allow Siri to open the phone with your voice. :apple: Of course, if you are voice impaired, that leaves out the voice suggestion.
I hear ya. Why can’t my phone just telepathically know when I want to unlock it? I mean it’s 2020 ffs...
 
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EM2013

macrumors 68020
Sep 2, 2013
2,490
2,326
it's constantly trying to scan your fingerprint even if you aren't trying, because you naturally rest your thumb or finger there just holding the phone.
Face ID constantly scans for no reason too.

If I have it laying down & I wake the screen to check the time or change a song, I get enter passcode to reset Face ID. My face is not even close to the phone for it to be scanning.

It’s annoying entering a passcode with a mask. It’s even more annoying having to enter it while at home mask-less.
 

cosmo811

macrumors member
Sep 27, 2011
60
49
Cambridge, UK
I much prefer Face ID but I wouldn't have a problem if they found a way of reliably and securely getting a Touch ID sensor underneath the screen. Either is okay with me.
 

KL2020

macrumors newbie
Dec 13, 2020
1
1
Let me explain my case. I used to have iPhone 6s and just recently moved to iPhone 12 pro max. That being said, I never try Touch ID before, so I could only compare passcode vs Face ID.

Let me give you my conclusion first. Passcode is better than Face ID. Here is how. When I had iPhone 6s, I need about 2 seconds to unlock my phone. Now with iPhone 12 pro max, I need about 4 seconds.

Let me further explain. With iPhone 6s, it was really simple, I just entered my password which took about 2 seconds. Now with iPhone 12 pro max, it very rarely able to recognize my face in the first two attempts. It will keep trying and most of the time it will end up with asking me the passcode. So, it takes about 2 seconds on the Face ID, which almost guarantee to fail, then I need another 2 seconds to enter the passcode. Then total time needed is therefore about 4 seconds.

Why does the Face ID always fail? The reasons are simple. It requires me to hold the phone in a very awkward distance and angle and doesn’t allow natural hand movements on my face. I never hold my phone in such a distance. Also, I never hold my phone in those angles. And I need to stare the phone while it is trying to unlock with Face ID, which is extremely awkward. With passcode I never have this problem. I don’t need to worry about the distance or angle, and I could stare at something else while entering my passcode. Also I don’t need to worry about my natural hand movements on my face such as rubbing my eyes, or scratching my nose with passcode unlock.

But with Face ID, all these things need to be considered. Whenever my phone triggers the Face ID (not just during unlock, it also triggers Face ID in a lot of circumstances), I have to stop everything I am doing, put the phone to the distance it requires, hold it at the right angle, make sure it there is nothing blocking my face, or there is no pillow or blanket near my face (I use phone a lot on bed), etc. And if I don’t do all these, I would most probably experience Face ID failure and then prompt for passcode. So, I would rather using passcode in the very first place, than the Face ID technology, which in my opinion is even more backward than passcode, because it takes more time to unlock the phone.
 
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C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
Let me explain my case. I used to have iPhone 6s and just recently moved to iPhone 12 pro max. That being said, I never try Touch ID before, so I could only compare passcode vs Face ID.

Let me give you my conclusion first. Passcode is better than Face ID. Here is how. When I had iPhone 6s, I need about 2 seconds to unlock my phone. Now with iPhone 12 pro max, I need about 4 seconds.

Let me further explain. With iPhone 6s, it was really simple, I just entered my password which took about 2 seconds. Now with iPhone 12 pro max, it very rarely able to recognize my face in the first two attempts. It will keep trying and most of the time it will end up with asking me the passcode. So, it takes about 2 seconds on the Face ID, which almost guarantee to fail, then I need another 2 seconds to enter the passcode. Then total time needed is therefore about 4 seconds.

Why does the Face ID always fail? The reasons are simple. It requires me to hold the phone in a very awkward distance and angle and doesn’t allow natural hand movements on my face. I never hold my phone in such a distance. Also, I never hold my phone in those angles. And I need to stare the phone while it is trying to unlock with Face ID, which is extremely awkward. With passcode I never have this problem. I don’t need to worry about the distance or angle, and I could stare at something else while entering my passcode. Also I don’t need to worry about my natural hand movements on my face such as rubbing my eyes, or scratching my nose with passcode unlock.

But with Face ID, all these things need to be considered. Whenever my phone triggers the Face ID (not just during unlock, it also triggers Face ID in a lot of circumstances), I have to stop everything I am doing, put the phone to the distance it requires, hold it at the right angle, make sure it there is nothing blocking my face, or there is no pillow or blanket near my face (I use phone a lot on bed), etc. And if I don’t do all these, I would most probably experience Face ID failure and then prompt for passcode. So, I would rather using passcode in the very first place, than the Face ID technology, which in my opinion is even more backward than passcode, because it takes more time to unlock the phone.
Similar to Touch ID, can you simply not use Face ID and just use a passcode?
 

TrueBlou

macrumors 601
Sep 16, 2014
4,531
3,619
Scotland
I’ve been thinking about this a lot since my last post, while I still think having both implemented would be awesome - why not, best of both worlds and it would make the FaceID haters happy.

However, for me, and I do just mean me, I don’t expect it to apply to everyone. I’ve found the only real annoyance with wearing a mask and having FaceID, would be when paying for things with Apple Pay. But, I’ve just been using my Watch for that, so it’s a non issue.

Yes, I still have to use a passcode to access the phone when I have a mask on. But, I’ve yet to be in a situation where 3 seconds of extra time added to my unlocking process has been an issue.

So overall, it’s something I can live with quite easily. No it’s not quite as convenient as it would be if TouchID was there, but, meh :D
 

snipr125

macrumors 68020
Oct 17, 2015
2,006
3,122
UK
Let me explain my case. I used to have iPhone 6s and just recently moved to iPhone 12 pro max. That being said, I never try Touch ID before, so I could only compare passcode vs Face ID.

Let me give you my conclusion first. Passcode is better than Face ID. Here is how. When I had iPhone 6s, I need about 2 seconds to unlock my phone. Now with iPhone 12 pro max, I need about 4 seconds.

Let me further explain. With iPhone 6s, it was really simple, I just entered my password which took about 2 seconds. Now with iPhone 12 pro max, it very rarely able to recognize my face in the first two attempts. It will keep trying and most of the time it will end up with asking me the passcode. So, it takes about 2 seconds on the Face ID, which almost guarantee to fail, then I need another 2 seconds to enter the passcode. Then total time needed is therefore about 4 seconds.

Why does the Face ID always fail? The reasons are simple. It requires me to hold the phone in a very awkward distance and angle and doesn’t allow natural hand movements on my face. I never hold my phone in such a distance. Also, I never hold my phone in those angles. And I need to stare the phone while it is trying to unlock with Face ID, which is extremely awkward. With passcode I never have this problem. I don’t need to worry about the distance or angle, and I could stare at something else while entering my passcode. Also I don’t need to worry about my natural hand movements on my face such as rubbing my eyes, or scratching my nose with passcode unlock.

But with Face ID, all these things need to be considered. Whenever my phone triggers the Face ID (not just during unlock, it also triggers Face ID in a lot of circumstances), I have to stop everything I am doing, put the phone to the distance it requires, hold it at the right angle, make sure it there is nothing blocking my face, or there is no pillow or blanket near my face (I use phone a lot on bed), etc. And if I don’t do all these, I would most probably experience Face ID failure and then prompt for passcode. So, I would rather using passcode in the very first place, than the Face ID technology, which in my opinion is even more backward than passcode, because it takes more time to unlock the phone.
KL2020 sorry I have to ask but why didn’t you use Touch ID on your iPhone 6s? It has Touch ID 2.0 and would have unlocked your iphone to the Home Screen in 1 second (nothing wrong with just using pin code though).
 

Allyance

Contributor
Sep 29, 2017
2,074
7,662
East Bay, CA
I find FaceID fast and convenient, especially when logging in to secure sites like my banking app. Wouldn't want use touch ID for that. I spent many years working with my hands both for jobs and working around the house. I do not good finger prints on many fingers from wear and tear. When I need to get a secure ID at my last job on an Army base, I had a hard time finding enough good fingers to register for the ID!
 

CTHarrryH

macrumors 68030
Jul 4, 2012
2,967
1,482
Let me explain my case. I used to have iPhone 6s and just recently moved to iPhone 12 pro max. That being said, I never try Touch ID before, so I could only compare passcode vs Face ID.

Let me give you my conclusion first. Passcode is better than Face ID. Here is how. When I had iPhone 6s, I need about 2 seconds to unlock my phone. Now with iPhone 12 pro max, I need about 4 seconds.

Let me further explain. With iPhone 6s, it was really simple, I just entered my password which took about 2 seconds. Now with iPhone 12 pro max, it very rarely able to recognize my face in the first two attempts. It will keep trying and most of the time it will end up with asking me the passcode. So, it takes about 2 seconds on the Face ID, which almost guarantee to fail, then I need another 2 seconds to enter the passcode. Then total time needed is therefore about 4 seconds.

Why does the Face ID always fail? The reasons are simple. It requires me to hold the phone in a very awkward distance and angle and doesn’t allow natural hand movements on my face. I never hold my phone in such a distance. Also, I never hold my phone in those angles. And I need to stare the phone while it is trying to unlock with Face ID, which is extremely awkward. With passcode I never have this problem. I don’t need to worry about the distance or angle, and I could stare at something else while entering my passcode. Also I don’t need to worry about my natural hand movements on my face such as rubbing my eyes, or scratching my nose with passcode unlock.

But with Face ID, all these things need to be considered. Whenever my phone triggers the Face ID (not just during unlock, it also triggers Face ID in a lot of circumstances), I have to stop everything I am doing, put the phone to the distance it requires, hold it at the right angle, make sure it there is nothing blocking my face, or there is no pillow or blanket near my face (I use phone a lot on bed), etc. And if I don’t do all these, I would most probably experience Face ID failure and then prompt for passcode. So, I would rather using passcode in the very first place, than the Face ID technology, which in my opinion is even more backward than passcode, because it takes more time to unlock the phone.
I don't think Face Id has ever required me to point phone directly at my face, etc. I pick up the phone towards my face and it unlocks. Other than wearing face mask can't remember when it has failed.
Have you tried to delete face and re-add it.
Touch Id has rarely worked first time for me even after installs, especially in winter
 
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