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jwolf6589

macrumors 601
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Dec 15, 2010
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One of the reasons I avoided the X and bought an 8 last December was because I prefer Touch ID. What are your thoughts? I am doubting Apple will continue to produce Touch ID phones (except maybe the SE 2) and the 8 may have been the last model with Touch ID. Personally I find Touch ID faster and why I prefer it.
 
Passcode.

Estabslished case law means law enforcement can demand you open your phone via TouchID. They cannot legally demand a passcode.

FaceID is neither here nor there for me, I'd still be using a passcode for the same reason.
 
I like both and wish I had the option for both. I’d say when both are working as they should, I prefer Face ID. But I’d say Touch ID has a bit better success rate than Face ID.
 
Passcode.

Estabslished case law means law enforcement can demand you open your phone via TouchID. They cannot legally demand a passcode.

FaceID is neither here nor there for me, I'd still be using a passcode for the same reason.

I don't see that as being a common enough occurrence to offset the added convenience every time I use my phone, which is many, many times a day.

I favour TouchID and that's one of the main reasons I got an 8 Plus rather than an X, and intend to keep it for years to come.
 
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I think ios12 tipped the scales for me. With touchid I almost never had to enter my passcode other than after a reboot. Faceid was more unreliable (sun behind you, wrong angle, phone too close, phone too far, not looking at the phone, not pointing the phone in the right direction long enough) and I have had to enter my pin at least a few times a day.

With iOS12 faceid has become more reliable, faster, and easier to repeat. Since it’s faster, it’s easier to keep my gaze on the phone long enough, and if it messes up it tries again fast enough that it’s not annoying. And if it gives up, now you can swipe to try again. I’ve been far less annoyed with it in iOS12.
 
I don't see that as being a common enough occurrence to offset the added convenience every time I use my phone, which is many, many times a day.

I favour TouchID and that's one of the main reasons I got an 8 Plus rather than an X, and intend to keep it for years to come.
The only device I use TouchID on is my new 6th gen iPad.

But I long ago got used to security boxes. Anytime I touch one of my sleeping Macs I have to enter my password. Any time I pick up my 6s+, my 5 or my 4s I have to enter a passcode.

I will admit that sometimes it gets irritating, but it's never been that much of an inconvenience to me.

With my 6s it's easier though because I have a jailbreak. I can make calls and compose text messages from the lockscreen, so I don't have to unlock my phone for that.

Now, I do have BioProtect installed and several apps are protected by that tweak. BioProtect requires either your fingerprint (confirmed through the TouchID sensor) or a passcode to open the apps you want protected.

So, even if someone got past my passcode to unlock my phone they'd need another passcode or my fingerprint to open certain apps.
 
I like both (and wish there were the option for both on my X), but touch ID for me still takes the cake. It's faster, easier, and doesn't require me hold the phone at certain orientations or awkwardly crane my neck so my face can be over the screen when I want to unlock my phone when it's slightly off to the side on a table. With touch ID, my phone was unlocked before it was halfway out of my pocket. No matter how many speed improvements they make, that will never be possible with Face ID. I'm getting by with Face ID just fine, but I can't say that I prefer it.
 
I like both (and wish there were the option for both on my X), but touch ID for me still takes the cake. It's faster, easier, and doesn't require me hold the phone at certain orientations or awkwardly crane my neck so my face can be over the screen when I want to unlock my phone when it's slightly off to the side on a table. With touch ID, my phone was unlocked before it was halfway out of my pocket. No matter how many speed improvements they make, that will never be possible with Face ID. I'm getting by with Face ID just fine, but I can't say that I prefer it.

I bought an 8 for this reason over the X.
 
I like both and wish I had the option for both. I’d say when both are working as they should, I prefer Face ID. But I’d say Touch ID has a bit better success rate than Face ID.
Agreed. When FaceID worked I loved it. But it failed so often i would end up needing to use my passcode instead. So I'm back to a TouchID phone now.
 
Passcode.

Estabslished case law means law enforcement can demand you open your phone via TouchID. They cannot legally demand a passcode.

FaceID is neither here nor there for me, I'd still be using a passcode for the same reason.
Law enforcement cannot physically make you do anything tho.
[doublepost=1528734261][/doublepost]I wish Apple would bring Touch ID back under the display on the 2018 models I would sell my current X and buy one in a second. Face ID is ok I just prefer Touch ID.
 
FaceID is the future but I also prefer TouchID. I never had to think about using TouchID. Just worked 99.9 percent of the times. I am constantly needing to think about FaceID after an initial fail. I have high hopes for iOS 12 and an improved FaceID and possibly Gen II.
 
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I prefer FaceID. I'll agree that TouchID might be quicker. But the speed difference is negligible (for me) when unlocking my phone. Another quarter second or whatever typically isn't a big deal. And while that speed difference is absolutely measurable, it's not reclaimable. What I mean is it's simple to calculate how much extra time was saved over a year. But you don't really get to do anything with that time. You can't save it up to enjoy later. So my preference is to go for convenience over speed. I really do find FaceID to be more convenient. Additionally, I admit to being a tech geek, so the thought of unlocking by looking at my phone is just too tempting to pass on. Thankfully, Apple did a great job with it. Not saying it's perfect, just that it's not crap either. Easily as good as the first generation of TouchID in my opinion.
 
I think you can break it down a few ways:
  • Speed - Face ID is definitely slower than the 2nd gen Touch ID, which was scary fast. But it’s a little faster than the 1st gen Touch ID sensor, so it’s not bad. The fact that it starts the scan even before you swipe up to unlock does help hide the slower speed a bit.
  • Accuracy - I’d say the two are roughly on par here under ideal conditions. Touch ID may be a hair more accurate, but the difference is not great enough that I care. However, having to hold the phone in a certain way for Face ID is a significant limitation that can lead to many more failed attempts than with Touch ID.
  • Ergomomics - This is the one area where Touch ID is clearly superior. Face ID only works if you are holding the phone at the correct angle, in the correct orientation, the correct distance from your face, and actively looking at it. Compare that to Touch ID, where I could unlock my phone on a desk without picking it up or even while it was upside down in my pocket if I wanted to. You can argue that these differences don’t matter that much (I don’t think they do). But I think it’s hard to make the case that Face ID isn’t a step back in this area.
  • Fringe Scenarios - Each technology has certain “fringe” use cases where it breaks down. The obvious ones for Touch ID are when your hands are dirty or when you are wearing gloves. For Face ID, it won’t work when you’re wearing a mask or scarf over your face. But it also has trouble with extreme lighting or when you are holding the phone at an odd angle. I’ve all but given up trying to use Face ID when I’m laying in bed because it misses around 75% of the time. I use my phone in bed quite a bit more often than I wear gloves so I find Face ID’s limitations to be more annoying. How you see that difference probably depends on the climate where you live though.
Overall, I’d give the edge to Touch ID. But, the difference isn’t big enough that I wouldn’t use a Face ID phone because of it. On the flip side though, Face ID is not enough to keep me on the iPhone X if something else I like better comes along. I’d probably jump to an SE 2 if one ever materializes even if it still has Touch ID.
 
I think you can break it down a few ways:
  • Speed - Face ID is definitely slower than the 2nd gen Touch ID, which was scary fast. But it’s a little faster than the 1st gen Touch ID sensor, so it’s not bad. The fact that it starts the scan even before you swipe up to unlock does help hide the slower speed a bit.
  • Accuracy - I’d say the two are roughly on par here under ideal conditions. Touch ID may be a hair more accurate, but the difference is not great enough that I care. However, having to hold the phone in a certain way for Face ID is a significant limitation that can lead to many more failed attempts than with Touch ID.
  • Ergomomics - This is the one area where Touch ID is clearly superior. Face ID only works if you are holding the phone at the correct angle, in the correct orientation, the correct distance from your face, and actively looking at it. Compare that to Touch ID, where I could unlock my phone on a desk without picking it up or even while it was upside down in my pocket if I wanted to. You can argue that these differences don’t matter that much (I don’t think they do). But I think it’s hard to make the case that Face ID isn’t a step back in this area.
  • Fringe Scenarios - Each technology has certain “fringe” use cases where it breaks down. The obvious ones for Touch ID are when your hands are dirty or when you are wearing gloves. For Face ID, it won’t work when you’re wearing a mask or scarf over your face. But it also has trouble with extreme lighting or when you are holding the phone at an odd angle. I’ve all but given up trying to use Face ID when I’m laying in bed because it misses around 75% of the time. I use my phone in bed quite a bit more often than I wear gloves so I find Face ID’s limitations to be more annoying. How you see that difference probably depends on the climate where you live though.
Overall, I’d give the edge to Touch ID. But, the difference isn’t big enough that I wouldn’t use a Face ID phone because of it. On the flip side though, Face ID is not enough to keep me on the iPhone X if something else I like better comes along. I’d probably jump to an SE 2 if one ever materializes even if it still has Touch ID.
Very good summation. I think you are correct on all points.
 
With a warrant they sure can.

They could easily put your finger on the sensor. But I'm not sure how easily they could physically force you to look at the phone. They can point it at your face and attempt to place it in your line of sight, but it certainly seems considerably more complicated. Even if they hold your eyelids open, it won't unlock (by default) until you look at it. It would certainly be amusing to watch.
[doublepost=1528741715][/doublepost]
They can try. I won’t put my finger on sensor.

I believe that would be along the lines of refusing to put your finger on the ink pad when they're taking your prints (I'm not in law enforcement, just speculating). In other words, I think it would take more than a simple "no" from you to stop them from getting what they want if they have a warrant.
 
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Estabslished case law means law enforcement can demand you open your phone via TouchID. They cannot legally demand a passcode.

Law enforcement cannot physically make you do anything tho..

I work in the L.E. sector. The only thing Law Enforcement can do, is they can seize the device for evidence, but they _cannot_ access the contents inside the device without having a validated search warrant first. There seems to be a lot of misconception of what the law can and cannot do, there is an exception however; Law Enforcement *Can* access the device contents without permission under exigent circumstances/emergent situations, (i.e. If they had a contact a family member for personal reasons, death or if they were trying to locate someone), then a warrant may not be obtained because of limited time in order to move forward in an investigation for those specific purposes only.
 
Law enforcement cannot physically make you do anything tho.
I work in the L.E. sector. The only thing Law Enforcement can do, is they can seize the device for evidence, but they _cannot_ access the contents inside the device without having a validated search warrant first. There seems to be a lot of misconception of what the law can and cannot do, there is an exception however; Law Enforcement *Can* access the device contents without permission under exigent circumstances/emergent situations, (i.e. If they had a contact a family member for personal reasons, death or if they were trying to locate someone), then a warrant may not be obtained because of limited time in order to move forward in an investigation for those specific purposes only.

https://www.cultofmac.com/301735/cops-can-force-use-touch-id-passcode/

…a court case in Virginia, however, with the judge ruling that cops can legally force suspects to manually unlock their iPhones using Touch ID.

This differs from the current ruling related to passcodes. Police cannot force defendants to give these up on the basis that they are considered “knowledge” rather than a physical object, and that knowledge is protected by the Fifth Amendment. A fingerprint, on the other hand, is considered to be more in line with a DNA sample or physical key, which means that citizens are compelled to give them up to police.
 
I think Face ID is way slower than Touch ID because you have to swipe from the bottom to the top + its scanning your face
In almost every case, Touch ID is faster and more pratical, put your phone on table and you ll be able to unlock your phone at 99,99% which isn't the case with Face ID
Sadly, Apple made a decision: they will puhshing Face ID on all next models
 
They could easily put your finger on the sensor. But I'm not sure how easily they could physically force you to look at the phone. They can point it at your face and attempt to place it in your line of sight, but it certainly seems considerably more complicated. Even if they hold your eyelids open, it won't unlock (by default) until you look at it. It would certainly be amusing to watch.
[doublepost=1528741715][/doublepost]

I believe that would be along the lines of refusing to put your finger on the ink pad when they're taking your prints (I'm not in law enforcement, just speculating). In other words, I think it would take more than a simple "no" from you to stop them from getting what they want if they have a warrant.
It doesnt matter to me lol, I don’t even have Touch Id I have Face ID but I don’t have nothen to hide anyway lol. And I wouldn’t look at the phone if I didn’t want them to get into it. Also odds are they would either let the phone die or they would shut it off and then you would have to enter the passcode anyway.
 
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