I officially hate FaceID on the iPad

[Ambulater]

Glad you found (tentative) solutions. My questions regarding those are:
Is it always immediately obvious which bezel the camera is on, allowing you to know which way to orient the iPad? Or do you have to sometimes look closely for the camera?
You probably need more time before you can answer this but—does it get tiresome having to find the right orientation for the iPad every time?

Well, I just started doing this so it's going to take awhile to get used to....but, I'm not looking for the face ID camera, rather I'm feeling for the volume/power buttons and/or the back facing camera.

I'm used to the buttons and backfacing camera being in the upper right corner in portrait mode and the upper left corner in horizontal mode. Now, they're in the lower left corner and lower right corner respectively.....exactly opposite of what I'm used to.

So, no, I'm not looking, just feeling....hope that helps.....

 

[subjonas]

If you are covering the camera an arrow pointing to the side shows you what hand you need to move to open up the sight line. Not rocket science here.

You don’t understand my questions. Read the context.

 

[plucky duck]

Face unlock on a tablet, depending on the way you hold the device, can require more user intervention and adjustment to help make it all work. Face unlock works better on a laptop, where the sensors are at the top of the display and very little chance the user can block it from getting a proper reading. Perhaps on a tablet, have two sensors, one length wise and one width wise to help eliminate the issue, but then costs become a factor and possibly affecting aesthetics.

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

This is my first device with Face ID, and I’ve been super impressed with it! Sure, a couple times I’ve needed to move my hand. I’ve only had once that it absolutely refused to recognize me, and I have no idea why. Overall, though, it’s been very quick and easy.

 

[RevTEG]

Yes I know, deal with it or move on, but I hate it. I hold the iPad in landscape mode 99% of the time. Any time I’m needed to log into something or even just unlock my iPad I see the “camera covered” and I have to lift my hand up and then let it unlock or log in for me. I know, first world problems, but this is a first world problems forum so I’m making mine known. I really hate this and wish there was another camera somewhere that would fix this problem for me (even though I know that’s not really feasible).

I use my iPad in landscape as well. Face ID has been a huge issue for me. However, I completely agree that Apple should put the camera somewhere else. Laptops are landscape and none of them have their cameras in the “side” like the iPad. FaceTime, Skype or any other video chat program looks stupid on the iPad. I use mine for online teaching and having to angle the iPad just looks stupid to me. Video conferencing still has me reaching for my Macbook. All because of the camera placement.

 

[6749974]

but this is a first world problems forum

Lol. Nailed us.

 

[charlituna]

If you are covering the camera an arrow pointing to the side shows you what hand you need to move to open up the sight line. Not rocket science here.

It’s also a pretty small amount of space so it’s hard to really understand why it’s such a big deal for folks to adjust their grip down to not cover up the camera

 

[spinboy]

Yes I know, deal with it or move on, but I hate it. I hold the iPad in landscape mode 99% of the time. Any time I’m needed to log into something or even just unlock my iPad I see the “camera covered” and I have to lift my hand up and then let it unlock or log in for me. I know, first world problems, but this is a first world problems forum so I’m making mine known. I really hate this and wish there was another camera somewhere that would fix this problem for me (even though I know that’s not really feasible).

Too bad, I've only seen that a couple times. Love Face ID on the iPad, it's fast too. I'm more pissed about no split keyboard even on the 11 inch.

 

[sunking101]

How can anyone hate the awesome Face ID on the iPad. I am replying to this post telling you that I'm very satisfied that I don't need to reach out my thumb to the iPad body to authenticate when I'm typing on the Smart Keyboard Folio now.

For darkened room use TouchID is way, way better. So overall, TouchID is better because it works without issue 100% of the time.

 

[vapourtrails]

Having used both sizes of iPad I find Face ID is ergonomicly better on the 11” model where you are more likely to use the iPad in portrait orientation, while with the 12.9 model landscape mode is more natural which leads to more often covering the camera.

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

For darkened room use TouchID is way, way better. So overall, TouchID is better because it works without issue 100% of the time.

But isn't Facetime supposed to work in the dark, because its sensors don't rely on light?

 

[Knowimagination]

It works fine in the dark and Touch ID doesn’t work 100% of the time.

I hope I never have to go back to the days of touching a certain spot to unlock my device.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

For darkened room use TouchID is way, way better. So overall, TouchID is better because it works without issue 100% of the time.

Face ID works great in the dark.

 

[The Game 161]

Agreed Face ID is great in the dark

 

[goobot]

The camera just should have been on the horizontal bezel. When held in portrait my hand doesn’t reach the halfway point but in landscape it does. Such a terrible move.

 

[Ralfi]

Just set it all up. It’s brilliant. Saved me remembering so many passwords already & seamlessly escorted me straight into the Apps.

 

[THFourteen]

For me the annoying thing is having to constantly move my face closer to the tablet when it’s on the table or sofa instead of me holding it.

 

[Lobwedgephil]

For me the annoying thing is having to constantly move my face closer to the tablet when it’s on the table or sofa instead of me holding it.

To be fair, agree with you here. Only time it has failed for me, saying face to far. So is moving face a bit closer or putting finger closer move convenient, it is a wash for me. Still love and think Face ID is better on iPad.

 

[SoYoung]

FaceID is just crap compared to TouchID. I don't understand why Apple want to push it down to our throat so hard. Its the only thing I absolutely hate on my new XS Max. I hate it so much that sometime I miss my old 6s plus with touchID working perfectly every single time. Now, it happens frequently that it don't recognize me the first time or even second time.

 

[nzcatfood]

I hold the iPad in landscape mode 99% of the time.

Same here. I've always used iPads in landscape orientation and think its daft situating the Face ID camera on the short side where people naturally place their thumbs.

 

[Ralfi]

Same here. I've always used iPads in landscape orientation and think its daft situating the Face ID camera on the short side where people naturally place their thumbs.

You just need to change your grip. Seems hard at first due to muscle memory, but it’ll kick in eventually.
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For me the annoying thing is having to constantly move my face closer to the tablet when it’s on the table or sofa instead of me holding it.

This is annoying for me on the iPhone, but I find I’m always looking at my iPad when needing to unlock in, so a non-issue for me.

 

[kurosov]

The camera just should have been on the horizontal bezel. When held in portrait my hand doesn’t reach the halfway point but in landscape it does. Such a terrible move.

I disagree.

When holding an ipad in landscape i tend to hold it toward the bottom, not covering up the current camera.

In portrait mode i hold it in the centre for balance, which would cover up the camera if it was centre landscape.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

Cool - I wasn’t aware of the space bar double tap shortcut - works like a dream. For me, FaceID on the Pro is so much better than on my iPhoneX; quicker and more accurate. I like it!

Yes same here. When my hand isn’t covering the camera, FaceID on my iPad Pro is instant and works from almost any angle. On my XS, it’s about 50/50 and I’m always futzing with distance to my face. I’ve reset it multiple times on my phone, but it’s just not all that accurate unless you find that absolute sweet spot.

 

[zhenya]

This is my first device with FaceID but so far I’m impressed. There are times when I do have to tilt the device up towards me which is marginally inconvenient compared to TouchID, but the majority of situations it just works.

The only thing I’m not loving is that when the iPad is locked, I have to both tap the screen and swipe up to unlock. Is there a setting for this somewhere? I vaguely recall this discussion when FaceID first came out, but it is definitely more steps required than with Touch ID where a single click would wake the device, unlock it, and bring me to the home screen.

 

[wittyphrase]

It’s happened to me a few times in the past week. But other than that, the FaceID feels incredibly fast and well implemented compared to my iPhone X. It works at more angles than I would have expected and because it’s so fast and smooth from just about every position I rarely have to even think about the “act” of unlocking. Even after I fudge it up by covering it, it’s done just about the instant I move my hand.

Overall, though, the fact that it does work in both orientations carries with it a little bit of baggage in that in does require a little additional though. But, yes, very first world in the scheme of things.