Other Apple needs to admit they were wrong and go back to Touch ID

[sparksd]

Just so, you need to live with both to have a valid opinion. That said, and accepting everybody’s entitled to their preference and nobody’s wrong, for me having to poke at touch sensors is something I loathe.

I have both. I have a 2018 12.9 Pro, a 10.5 Pro, and a 12 Pro max. My opinion is "valid".

 

[MiamiC70]

yeah this is a bad take. Lots of ppl prefer touch id. Lots of ppl prefer face id. Both would be better. the preference of one over the other is subjective so there's no way preferring either one is a "bad take".

I agree. One thing I miss from my iPhone 8 Plus

 

[lclev]

As stated, everyone has a preference. I love Face ID - or I did until COVID, but I still would want to have it over touch ID. My main reason is my finger prints are hard to read. For background checks I have had to spend quite a bit of time trying to get a set of prints that are usable. Touch ID never did work well for me and I used a pin most of the time.

Face ID recognizes me even first thing in the morning and I consider that pretty close to a miracle.
On my 2020 MBP I end up putting in my password 90% of the time due to the touch ID not reading my finger print - unless my apple watch opens it for me.

So it is a preference.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I still have the issue every morning where it’s dark, I pick my iPhone up and it takes 10+ seconds to unlock because I am laying down. FaceID is very convenient most of the time but this is the instance where TouchID is superior for me.

 

[adamhenry]

I still have the issue every morning where it’s dark, I pick my iPhone up and it takes 10+ seconds to unlock because I am laying down. FaceID is very convenient most of the time but this is the instance where TouchID is superior for me.

I have seen your complaint before and still don't understand. Face ID on my phones(X and 12P) have always worked fine in the dark. Here is a description of how Face ID works in the dark:
"Face ID uses infrared to scan your face, so it works in low lighting conditions and in the dark. The TrueDepth camera also has what Apple calls a "Flood Illuminator," aka an infrared light that illuminates your face in the dark so the dot map and the infrared camera can do their jobs." According to that, visible light should have no bearing on the operation of Face ID.

The quote is from: https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/13/how-iphone-x-face-id-works/

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I have seen your complaint before and still don't understand. Face ID on my phones(X and 12P) have always worked fine in the dark. Here is a description of how Face ID works in the dark:
"Face ID uses infrared to scan your face, so it works in low lighting conditions and in the dark. The TrueDepth camera also has what Apple calls a "Flood Illuminator," aka an infrared light that illuminates your face in the dark so the dot map and the infrared camera can do their jobs." According to that, visible light should have no bearing on the operation of Face ID.

The quote is from: https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/13/how-iphone-x-face-id-works/

I understand how the technology works, I’ve contributed to this community almost daily for over 7 years now.

Perhaps I am not explaining it well enough? I pick my phone up from the bedside table, tap the screen, screen illuminates, padlock icon unlocks, finger swipes up from the bottom of the screen and it fails to open on the first 5 or 6 swipes. It is what it is and I know it’s not a fault with my iPhone as my wife and several work colleagues of mine agree it’s annoying. When the iPhone X came out in 2017 I read similar experiences here too and the solution put forward was to rescan the face at a lower angle to get the software used to an alternative view.

I have no other issues with FaceID other than this to be fair and am enjoying it in the whole. I know any slight criticism on here is met with suspicion and an automated ‘you’re wrong’ defence, but I can’t help what I experience. Both forms of biometric method have their pro’s and cons and I enjoyed TouchID for many years too.

 

[gnasher729]

Much prefer FaceID but masks have been a nuisance. When I was doing a major remodel on my house my fingers got so roughed up that TouchID wouldn't work for me until I reprogrammed it.

TouchID doesn't work for me when my hands are wet, quite obviously, and I had it fail after doing some serious cleaning at home.

 

[nvarsj]

I liked Face ID until 2020. As others point out, masks basically render it useless. It's like going back 5 years now, I have to manually enter my PIN always now. I guess Apple couldn't predict it, but it is the same problem in summer with sunglasses. Touch ID is the most robust mechanism for quick authentication and they need to bring it back!

 

[RRC]

I liked Face ID until 2020. As others point out, masks basically render it useless. It's like going back 5 years now, I have to manually enter my PIN always now. I guess Apple couldn't predict it, but it is the same problem in summer with sunglasses. Touch ID is the most robust mechanism for quick authentication and they need to bring it back!

Masks aren’t going to be around forever though, I guess that’s how they are viewing the situation.

Plus not every country is enforcing constant mask wearing, for example in the UK the only requirement is to wear them inside shops, and I’d guess there are many countries adopting a similar policy which means away from Apple Pay you can use Face ID as you would normally.

 

[Never mind]

I liked Face ID until 2020. As others point out, masks basically render it useless. It's like going back 5 years now, I have to manually enter my PIN always now. I guess Apple couldn't predict it, but it is the same problem in summer with sunglasses. Touch ID is the most robust mechanism for quick authentication and they need to bring it back!

This is a repeat. Lower your mask a little bit and face ID will work. That’s what I do so why can’t others do the same thing and start to make a big deal out of this

 

[pbonitati]

I don't know if it was a mistake. I actually prefer it. I know during these times its a pain, but for every other situation at least for me it has been perfect. I honestly can't even say it's failed once for me, if it has I don't recall it and this is since the IPX. I have a few hobbies that take a beating on my hands and fingers, working on cars, dirt bikes and general outdoor activities which makes touch ID much less accurate and prone to failures. Especially this time of year my skin gets all dry and crappy which renders almost all fingerprint sensors useless, and trust me I've tried a crap ton of phones over the years. Some of the old school ones will work, but under the display ones always crap out in anything but perfect conditions. I dread the day if it's taken away.

 

[doboy]

I liked Face ID until 2020. As others point out, masks basically render it useless. It's like going back 5 years now, I have to manually enter my PIN always now. I guess Apple couldn't predict it, but it is the same problem in summer with sunglasses. Touch ID is the most robust mechanism for quick authentication and they need to bring it back!

After many months FaceID unlocks my phone when I use certain brands of masks, but still not perfect.

 

[x-evil-x]

putting in my passcode 30 times a day since march is tiring. I would turn it off if I buy stuff with my phone.
Apple missed out on a big opportunity here with touchid in the home button like on the iPad. I literally hate Face ID the last 6 months. Id much rather have apple drop it all together now. Being home on the couch or the counter and just trying to open it never works. Im putting in my passcode almost every time I pick up my phone it seems. Its the most annoying thing about these phones now.

 

[C DM]

putting in my passcode 30 times a day since march is tiring. I would turn it off if I buy stuff with my phone.
Apple missed out on a big opportunity here with touchid in the home button like on the iPad. I literally hate Touch ID the last 6 months. Id much rather have apple drop it all together now. Being home on the couch or the counter and just trying to open it never works. Im putting in my passcode almost every time I pick up my phone it seems. Its the most annoying thing about these phones now.

Guessing Touch ID there is meant to say Face ID?

 

[mpetrides]

I know I’m an outlier but Touch ID has never worked properly for me despite multiple fingerprint scans on multiple devices over the years. Face ID OTOH works flawlessly. So I personally would hate to see a return to Touch ID, especially if it meant the removal of Face ID. As always YMMV.

 

[SisterBlue22]

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

Agreed...I think many of those who think FaceID sucks because they have to "hold their phone up to their face" don't realize that the phone doesn't have to be anywhere close to your face, just pointing in that direction.

 

[ght56]

I think Face ID is one of the best advancements ever. That said, both it and Touch ID have shortcomings on their own. Masks and some shade cause issues with Face ID. Excessively dry or wet fingers can cause issues with Touch ID. Face ID plus embedded Touch ID in the screen would work amazing IMO, even more so if Face ID could recognize a subtle facial gesture, such as moving your head slightly upward after unlocking, to automatically 'swipe up' to immediately access the home screen.

The notch has never bothered me given it enables a functional feature that expedites the speed in which I work. That said, Face ID could likely recognize certain facial movements to execute certain commands and I think this could take the tech to another level in that it would automate certain things without having to physically tap. If I can get super giddy, if Face ID could automatically scroll on webpages based on facial movements, now that would be a crazy awesome advancement.

 

[Ac1d 8urn]

I honestly love both. Loved Touch ID on my 8+, love Face ID on my 12pm now. If the 13 has both, I will be a hog in slop.

I do miss the old iPhone form factor though. People will call me crazy but I think the home button design just looks so good.

 

[x-evil-x]

Guessing Touch ID there is meant to say Face ID?

Ah yes. Ooops

 

[superfu]

I actually like both. I think in the future they might sell an iPhone that has both FaceID and TouchID integrated in the screen (and of course when they do that, they will remove completely the charging cable to offset the cost for environmental impacts)

Edit: for environmental impacts