Apple is looking to revolutionize the iPhone series with its iPhone 8, which will have many ground-breaking technologies that have not been seen on any other iPhone launched by the company yet. Among these would be an OLED display and an almost bezel-less front design. However, perhaps the most speculated aspect of the impending iPhone is the biometric security features. Until recently, it was known that apple would include an iris scanner along with the customary Touch Id sensor as forms of security.
However, a couple of weeks ago, reports surfaced which indicated that the Cupertino-based company would most likely ditch the under-the-display Touch ID sensor for a 3D facial recognition technology.
Now, patent reports have been discovered which shows that the company has been working on the facial recognition functionality for years. It also indicates just how much time and effort Apple has invested in perfecting the new technology.
Apple had been secretly working on facial recognition technology for years
Apple Insider dug into the patents and found some indication that Apple has been working on the facial recognition feature for at least the last three years. However, some records show that the work on this technology first began around 2007, which is around the time when the first iPhone launched in the market. If this is the case, it shows Apple's determination toward the feature.
The man credited for inventing this functionality in the patent papers is Tony Fadell, who left the Cupertino-based company in 2008.
This further goes to show that the facial recognition feature was not something that Apple came up with on a whim and is, instead, a fully thought out functionality.
The 3D facial recognition will provide better security
A facial scanning feature was also introduced in this year's Galaxy S8 handsets. However, users have demonstrated that it is notoriously easy to bypass on the device.
In fact, holding the picture of the users face would also be enough to fool the Facial Recognition Technology of the handset. So, Apple fans wondered whether the same would be the case for the upcoming iPhone 8's as well.
However, reports indicate that due to the technology's ability to scan the face in a three dimensional look, it would provide much better security to users.
It will not be fooled by a 2D picture, since it can judge the depth and contours on various portions of the face as well. This would likely make Apple's facial recognition technology much more secure.
However, it is still not clear whether this advanced form of facial recognition technology would make its way into the upcoming iPhone 8 or not. Apple may decide to use the feature on future handsets, but most of these speculations will be resolved by September when the iPhone 8 will be revealed by the company.
