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thizisweird

macrumors regular
Jul 20, 2017
141
42
Phoenix, AZ
I have had my X for about 3-4 weeks I think. Personally, I'm on the fence of whether I think it's actually useful. I can get around the home button crisis I had the first week. But the Face ID..... dude, I just want my frickin button back. It's so unnecessarily picky with my face. This is also after a few reinstalls of iOS, and resetting my face profile. It's probably had about a 80-90% success rate for me, but that's because of its limitations with using a camera. Attention recognition (or whatever) is also the biggest cursed blessing for me. If I'm trying to unlock my phone while driving, and it's on its mount, I am forced to take my eyes off the road for a second or so. There are a few problems with this, and the main one concerning the topic would be that I have nowhere to mount the phone in my car that is 'Face ID friendly' *massive eye roll*

I also miss being able to hold my phone over the card reader, and I didn't need to bother looking at it to pay for things once my card was selected. When I use my phone to pay, I'm usually in a rush or left my wallet in the car. I'm trying to leave asap, and I don't like standing there just staring at my phone so I can pay. Seriously, I've watched other people do the same thing to unlock their X for a second or so...... we look like complete idiots lmao. But for me, it literally drives me away from Face ID. If I just grabbed my wallet, I wouldn't have this moment once a week where my phone decides to not pay for my crap. And since my cash is in my wallet, and I've never needed to pay for something over $20 while running around town, that means I have no reason to integrate this extra finniky stuff in my life.

Face ID, in my opinion, is mostly a gimmick at its core. I think it's one of the best ones I've witnessed and played with... probably the most mind blowing, and the most flexible way of going 100% screen on a phone..... but this is just dumb. I don't want to go back to Android. Android reminds me too much of Linux; and Linux...... I think it sucks for daily use.

Face ID makes me feel like I'm being bought out by Apple for something I don't want, but I can still use without enough problems to make me go back to my 8 Plus. My roommate can hang onto that. I do miss my home button, though. They really need to bring back TID. Best move on their part would be to implement the new home button design onto the back within the logo. You could opt out of using it by covering it with a case and/or settings changes, and still use what ya got with that fancy Face ID, or have a slightly depressed logo with the sensor built in. I'd gladly trade my silver Apple for that. They don't need the logo on their products any more. You can tell most their phones from a quick glance, the watch, the iMac, the dang pencil..... and only the iMac has the logo openly visible. Give up the branding pennies on that silver logo on my X, move on to making that a replacement home button, and I think we have the best of both worlds.

But now I'm rambling and actually trying to fix this thing.

tl;dr- It's cool and awesome, but only if you aren't limited in daily use. I'd say some days are flawless, while occasionally it can act up throughout the day. Hot cars when you first get in, extreme angles, attention recognition (on occasion), and leaning my face on my hand would probably be the biggest attributes to failure. It isn't bad at all, from my experience; but I do think it's a pointless, 'needs-more' kind of gimmick that I just can't buy into fully. I love the phone and am keeping it, and I can afford the few extra a month, but the Face ID makes me wish I stayed with the 8 Plus my rommate now uses. Hopefully there will be a new iteration to combine the two. Otherwise, I might just buy this phone out and flip it when they release another phone with a home button. I'll take my losses, but this wasn't worth it in hindsight.
 
Last edited:

thizisweird

macrumors regular
Jul 20, 2017
141
42
Phoenix, AZ
I ride a motorbike. TouchID I still need to remove my gloves, so meh.
I always had my phone in my pocket or my backpack when I was riding (about 4 yrs, so grain of salt). I never had gloves that were much of a pain to for the quick use of my phone. I'd just wait until the crosswalks gave me 15 seconds on the timer... but I do wonder if you just had it plugged in and screen set to 'always on' that would solve the problem? Idk, just never felt the need to spend the money on that. If I needed longer than 15 seconds, I'd just pull over lol.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,494
I like FaceID but it does have flaws. For instance, it's difficult to unlock flat on table unless you hover over, and there's some trouble with recognition when you want to discreetly check some messages (below at pocket-level, for example). Still works majority of the time and I find that turning off 'Require Attention' is an improvement.

Waiting patiently for on-screen touchID, however.

I know many are patiently waiting or hoping for touch ID embedded under the display, and I don’t mean to be pessimistic, but I don’t believe that’s Apples value anymore or ever really was, as they did already consider that route and Face ID was always their primary goal. Is it possible they could ever change their technology considerations for the future? Yes. But that’s not even a consideration at this point with Face ID.
 

Shanghaichica

macrumors G5
Apr 8, 2013
14,725
13,245
UK
I still think fingerprint for Apple Pay is better takes 2 seconds
I’ve used my Apple Watch for Apple Pay from day 1 so cant really say which one is better. I’ve used Touch ID and Face ID once for Apple Pay just to see that they work.

As Rene says using my phone for Apple Pay makes me feel like an animal:D
 

StaceyMJ86

macrumors demi-goddess
Sep 22, 2015
8,447
14,882
Washington, DC
I have had my X for about 3-4 weeks I think. Personally, I'm on the fence of whether I think it's actually useful. I can get around the home button crisis I had the first week. But the Face ID..... dude, I just want my frickin button back. It's so unnecessarily picky with my face. This is also after a few reinstalls of iOS, and resetting my face profile. It's probably had about a 80-90% success rate for me, but that's because of its limitations with using a camera. Attention recognition (or whatever) is also the biggest cursed blessing for me. If I'm trying to unlock my phone while driving, and it's on its mount, I am forced to take my eyes off the road for a second or so. There are a few problems with this, and the main one concerning the topic would be that I have nowhere to mount the phone in my car that is 'Face ID friendly' *massive eye roll*

I also miss being able to hold my phone over the card reader, and I didn't need to bother looking at it to pay for things once my card was selected. When I use my phone to pay, I'm usually in a rush or left my wallet in the car. I'm trying to leave asap, and I don't like standing there just staring at my phone so I can pay. Seriously, I've watched other people do the same thing to unlock their X for a second or so...... we look like complete idiots lmao. But for me, it literally drives me away from Face ID. If I just grabbed my wallet, I wouldn't have this moment once a week where my phone decides to not pay for my crap. And since my cash is in my wallet, and I've never needed to pay for something over $20 while running around town, that means I have no reason to integrate this extra finniky stuff in my life.

Face ID, in my opinion, is mostly a gimmick at its core. I think it's one of the best ones I've witnessed and played with... probably the most mind blowing, and the most flexible way of going 100% screen on a phone..... but this is just dumb. I don't want to go back to Android. Android reminds me too much of Linux; and Linux...... I think it sucks for daily use.

Face ID makes me feel like I'm being bought out by Apple for something I don't want, but I can still use without enough problems to make me go back to my 8 Plus. My roommate can hang onto that. I do miss my home button, though. They really need to bring back TID. Best move on their part would be to implement the new home button design onto the back within the logo. You could opt out of using it by covering it with a case and/or settings changes, and still use what ya got with that fancy Face ID, or have a slightly depressed logo with the sensor built in. I'd gladly trade my silver Apple for that. They don't need the logo on their products any more. You can tell most their phones from a quick glance, the watch, the iMac, the dang pencil..... and only the iMac has the logo openly visible. Give up the branding pennies on that silver logo on my X, move on to making that a replacement home button, and I think we have the best of both worlds.

But now I'm rambling and actually trying to fix this thing.

tl;dr- It's cool and awesome, but only if you aren't limited in daily use. I'd say some days are flawless, while occasionally it can act up throughout the day. Hot cars when you first get in, extreme angles, attention recognition (on occasion), and leaning my face on my hand would probably be the biggest attributes to failure. It isn't bad at all, from my experience; but I do think it's a pointless, 'needs-more' kind of gimmick that I just can't buy into fully. I love the phone and am keeping it, and I can afford the few extra a month, but the Face ID makes me wish I stayed with the 8 Plus my rommate now uses. Hopefully there will be a new iteration to combine the two. Otherwise, I might just buy this phone out and flip it when they release another phone with a home button. I'll take my losses, but this wasn't worth it in hindsight.

For Apple Pay, I double click the home button, stare at it and then hold my phone up to the reader. It literally takes me less than 10 seconds to do all of that. I haven’t had a issue yet.
 
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Hater

macrumors 6502a
Sep 20, 2017
898
885
Edinburgh, Scotland
For Apple Pay, I double click the home button, stare at it and then hold my phone up to the reader. It literally takes me less than 10 seconds to do all of that. I haven’t had a issue yet.

You'd hope it'd take less than 10 seconds, it takes about 3 to pull your card out of your wallet
 

StaceyMJ86

macrumors demi-goddess
Sep 22, 2015
8,447
14,882
Washington, DC
You'd hope it'd take less than 10 seconds, it takes about 3 to pull your card out of your wallet

I don’t hope I know it take less than 10 seconds. I use Apple Pay everyday so I would know. My credit cards are in my wallet which is always with me since it hold my DL. It’s still about the same amount of time to swipe my credit card and even longer if they ask me sign.
 

Shanghaichica

macrumors G5
Apr 8, 2013
14,725
13,245
UK
I don’t hope I know it take less than 10 seconds. I use Apple Pay everyday so I would know. My credit cards are in my wallet which is always with me since it hold my DL. It’s still about the same amount of time to swipe my credit card and even longer if they ask me sign.
It takes me more than 10 seconds to find my purse in my bag, let alone taking a card out. Paying with my watch is significantly faster.
 
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OutSpoken

macrumors 6502a
Jun 9, 2009
903
107
UK
You can setup an alternate face in Face ID settings. See if that helps. Also resetting Face ID, a system that uses machine learning to get better and better will have the opposite affect in the long run. The more you use it the better it gets.

Of course if your face changes drastically it will probably have issues. Which is why they’ve added the option for a alternate face.
I thought you could only set alternate faces with ios 12 not 11?

Also i accept that face ID has machine learning but i think the problem that many people are having is the limited capture range of the true depth camera, hence why lots of people report failed attempts. Personally i after 9/10 months of owning the X i think Face ID has been a little disappointing and maybe its because its an apple first gen tech or that most people on mac rumors use face ID more conciously so have lesser problems with it. Either way i expected a better experience from Apple.
 

lexvo

macrumors 65816
Nov 11, 2009
1,476
555
The Netherlands
For me, Face-ID works great. With and without glasses, light or dark etc.. It still surprises me sometimes how fast recognition is. It works better than touch-ID and doesn't feel like first gen at all.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
42,494
i think Face ID has been a little disappointing and maybe its because its an apple first gen tech or that most people on mac rumors use face ID more conciously so have lesser problems with it. Either way i expected a better experience from Apple.

Allow me to Pre-face by saying that technology in general is _not_ perfect, and It never will be. Its an evolutionary in terms Of always improving. Touch ID was a great form of biometric technology, but that also had its pitfalls and still is nowhere near perfect without its concerns.

But for Face ID being a ‘first GEN tech’ device, it’s fairly good at what it does and I think it’s been well recepted, considering how others were chastising it before it even launched last November. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. But neither will be Gen 2 face ID either.

But more to the point, even talking to those outside a tech forum who tend to be more vocal, opinionated and scrutinized technology down to the every intricacy, I find that most c around me seem to be fairly happy with face ID and what it has the offer, seemingly how it does benefit them in situations where touch ID couldn’t or how well it performs in low light situations, ect.

I don’t any other manufacture in the smart phone industry that can bring the technological advancements that Apple does deliver and they do it so well, even though some expect perfection with Apple, it’s simply *not* possible with technology in general.
 

Shanghaichica

macrumors G5
Apr 8, 2013
14,725
13,245
UK
Allow me to Pre-face by saying that technology in general is _not_ perfect, and It never will be. Its an evolutionary in terms Of always improving. Touch ID was a great form of biometric technology, but that also had its pitfalls and still is nowhere near perfect without its concerns.

But for Face ID being a ‘first GEN tech’ device, it’s fairly good at what it does and I think it’s been well recepted, considering how others were chastising it before it even launched last November. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. But neither will be Gen 2 face ID either.

But more to the point, even talking to those outside a tech forum who tend to be more vocal, opinionated and scrutinized technology down to the every intricacy, I find that most c around me seem to be fairly happy with face ID and what it has the offer, seemingly how it does benefit them in situations where touch ID couldn’t or how well it performs in low light situations, ect.

I don’t any other manufacture in the smart phone industry that can bring the technological advancements that Apple does deliver and they do it so well, even though some expect perfection with Apple, it’s simply *not* possible with technology in general.
I think some people unfairly expected it to be as polished as Touch ID which is 5 years old at this point. Technology gets better with time. Touch ID was not perfect when it first came out but gradually got better and better. I think Face ID works pretty Damn well for first gen technology.
 

Ta0jin

macrumors 65816
Nov 9, 2011
1,289
642
Maryland
I think some people unfairly expected it to be as polished as Touch ID which is 5 years old at this point. Technology gets better with time. Touch ID was not perfect when it first came out but gradually got better and better. I think Face ID works pretty Damn well for first gen technology.
This exactly!!
 

Macalway

macrumors 601
Aug 7, 2013
4,184
2,930
Get an 8

Its a trade off. Now we have choices. You still sort off have to put some effort into having either work.
 

Pockets81

macrumors newbie
Oct 6, 2017
16
7
So I don’t have any problems with Face ID working for me, however I learned my 17 year old daughter must look more similar to me than I thought because her face works to unlock my phone also
 

thizisweird

macrumors regular
Jul 20, 2017
141
42
Phoenix, AZ
While my biggest gripe isn't about Face ID, I think the tradeoff to Face ID was the part that wasn't worth my iPhone X commitment. This of course is the fact that I have other problems with the phone... but still lol.

Point is: I think Apple's first gen of something this radical has more pros than cons; ergo, by default, I'm one of those who shouted "it'll suck" and was completely wrong lol. I had doubts, but it's damn impressive. And yes, my issues have gotten better since my last posts. Not enough to stop complaining, but it's improved a lot. I think some users simply need to learn how to use the device, instead of fitting the device to them, if they want the best results.... and that's my biggest gripe. It won't learn unless you teach it a certain way; and some people just aren't doing that (why or how is always open for debate and testing).

It's surprisingly a lot like my Honda Accord lol. I had some high hopes that were kinda crushed, but when I tally it all up I have to say it's probably one of the better moves I've made for the money invested.

Still doesn't make up for the times Face ID just flat out sucks for 5 minutes and won't give me a reason to restart the phone... then I get anxious every time it takes longer than normal >.> I like knowing when something is working like it should lol.

Apple, please give us a chart for Face ID unlocks so we know if it starts sucking lmao. That'll be the day
 
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