Skip to main content

Apple applies for patent concerning face recognition on iOS devices

iphone-4-vs-4s
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Perhaps an upcoming feature on the next version of the iPhone or iPad, Apple filed a patent over a year ago with the United States Patent and Trademark Office that outlines a method of face recognition for taking an iOS device out of sleep mode. Likely built into a future version of iOS, an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad would recognize that a user is in the vicinity after the user picks up the device and utilize the camera to scan the user’s face to turn on the device automatically. While security would be a concern to anyone that currently uses a password to lock their iOS device, Apple mentions that the software would isolate unique facial features in addition to specific skin tones to recognize a face. The software would memorize the attributes to the face, but the user may potentially have to reset the scan after any form of facial plastic surgery or something as simple as a sunburn.  

Apple-facial-recognitionApple is already utilizing face detection in the iPhone 4S for photography. The camera automatically detects up to 10 faces within the picture and sets the focus on the most prominent face. It’s likely that the current face detection software will be customized to work with facial recognition elements. Apple calls the new technology “low threshold face recognition” and is designed to work in many situations where lighting can be an issue. Facial recognition technology already exists on Google Android phones with the recent release of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone. While the feature is definitely interesting, users were quickly able to fool the software into unlocking the phone after scanning a picture of the user’s face. Google warns users that facial recognition offers lower security that using a pin or other password to lock the Android device.

Recommended Videos

Apple filed this patent 18 months ago and hasn’t issued any official comment on how this technology will be utilized in future devices. Any announcement concerning the use of facial recognition on iOS devices will likely come at the next Apple press conference.   

Mike Flacy
By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…
How to customize the Apple Fitness app in iOS 18
Person holding a phone that shows the Summary page in Apple Fitness in iOS 18.

Many people might not be aware that Apple is making a key change to the Fitness app in iOS 18, the upcoming software update for supported iPhones. The app’s redesign lets you customize the Summary page in the app. Here's how it works.

Read more
Apple’s most impressive AI feature isn’t in the iOS 18.1 beta
A person demonstrating the new Siri revamped with Apple Intelligence at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.

Today ended up being a big day for iPhone and Apple fans. Why? Apple kicked off the week by releasing its iOS 18.1 developer beta -- aka, the first iOS 18 beta with Apple Intelligence features included.

It's a notable step forward for Apple's big AI push, though the Apple Intelligence experience available in the iOS 18.1 beta isn't a full or finished product. Not every Apple Intelligence feature is available to use, including Apple's most impressive one.

Read more
You can finally try AI features on your iPhone with the iOS 18.1 beta
Apple Intelligence on iPhone pulling data from across apps.

If you’re part of the Apple Developer program and have been trying out the iOS 18 beta on your iPhone, then go grab the latest iOS 18.1 developer beta. This is a significant update, as it finally brings Apple Intelligence features to your iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max.

As of right now, Apple has only released the iOS 18.1 beta for developers. There is no public beta for iOS 18.1 yet, but it may be coming soon. You’ll also need the iOS 18.1 beta on an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max, as those are the only two iPhone models that are capable of running Apple Intelligence features, though iOS 18 can go on devices as far back as the iPhone XS.

Read more