UPDATE: Apple issues an official statement disputing Bloomberg’s allegation. Apple maintains that Face ID would still continue to have the same 1 in 1,000,000 accuracy.
Customer excitement for iPhone X and Face ID has been incredible, and we can’t wait for customers to get their hands on it starting Friday, November 3. Face ID is a powerful and secure authentication system that’s incredibly easy and intuitive to use. The quality and accuracy of Face ID haven’t changed. It continues to be 1 in a million probability of a random person unlocking your iPhone with Face ID.
Bloomberg’s claim that Apple has reduced the accuracy spec for Face ID is completely false and we expect Face ID to be the new gold standard for facial authentication.
The iPhone X is what Apple describes as the future of smartphones. It is radically redesigned from the ground up with an edge-to-edge all screen Super Retina display. For the very first time, Apple has removed its Touch ID button and have replaced it with Face ID.
Unfortunately, the Face ID hardware is rather complex and it is partly the reason why Apple is struggling to produce enough iPhone X for the coming launch on 3 November. With pressure mounting, it was reported that Apple has told its suppliers to reduce the accuracy of its Face ID system in order to increase production.
Unlike typical Face Unlock you’ve seen on other smartphones, Apple’s implementation is rather different. It has a TrueDepth camera module at the top notch which maps your entire face with greater precision. It’s so secure that Apple reckons that its accuracy is 1 in 1,000,000, which is far more accurate and secure compared to TouchID’s accuracy of 1 in 50,000.
It was alleged that Apple decided to reduce its accuracy in early fall, which is sometime during its official announcement in September. It isn’t clear how less accurate the final Face ID would be but it should still be significantly more secure than Touch ID.
Accuracy aside, we still think it isn’t as practical as Touch ID. You would need to lift the phone up, stare at it and swipe to unlock versus a single action of pressing a button.
