A Clearer Insight into iPhone 8’s Biggest Feature: Facial Recognition Becomes Significant All of a Sudden

Updated Mar 24,2017 | by Shannon

We have witnessed a lot of changes to the size of smartphone screen in the year 2017 and the trend will continue to rise. The emergence of broader screens is as a result of the reduction of bezel sizes by smartphone manufacturers. For the iPhone 8 to follow this trend, there would be a replacement of the popular home button with the trending new facial recognition. This possibility making this work makes sense all of a sudden. 

The information was shared by Apple itself; it is established that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has received an application from Apple to grant it the permission to publish a new application that can “Lock and unlock a mobile device through facial recognition.” 

AppleInsider states that the patent's major concept is to make the face of a user recognizable and detectable by the iPhone's front camera; if the face seen by the camera is that of the authorized device owner, then the device will unlock. He also said that if the phone were to remain inactive for a long without seeing the user's face; it will lock automatically. Also, there would be no need to input any pin or make use of Touch ID because once the iPhone is in motion, the facial recognition would detect the user's face and unlock. 

We now have varying unlocking styles against the single system of unlocking using a fingerprint sensor. The automatic locking and unlocking system eradicates the cumbersome aspect of unlocking via iris and facial recognition. 

Patent are usually planned on a long term basis, interestingly, Apple's 2017 application is a continuation of the patent issued in 2012, granted in 2015 and continued in 2016. 

Also interesting is the fact that in February; Apple made a move to own Tel Aviv startup Realface—a company whose focus is on the improvement of smart login systems through the incorporation of artificial intelligence and facial recognition software. 

The question that arises as a result of all these, remains the same: will facial recognition be available in iPhone 8? Giving a positive answer won't be possible until the iPhone 8 is in the hands of Tim Cook during the official launching in September. There is no doubt that it would be worth the wait. 

These two events add up to that possibility: Apple's moves in 2017 that show their deep interest in the technology and the progressive development that comes with the latest patent. In addition to that, buying Realface shows, they intend to continue making developments—although, it's certainly too early to meet up launch the iPhone 8; there will possibly be a provision of future software integration that could be linked with the facial recognition sensor in iPhone 8 sometime in future. 

At the bottom line, the home button in iPhone 8 will be removed—just the perfect time for the production of a fine-tuned version of tech by Apple. Several rivals have tried their hands on doing just that but without complete success; this Apple's business strategy is not surprising at the least. 

There's surely a bad side to all these; it comes in the form of a direct integration of Touch ID to iPhone 8's display. It isn't totally bad, but the problem lies in the fact that it won't be easy to position your finger with the absence of a physical button. Apple includes this sort of little inconvenience, just so that users would look forward to technologies that are more improved.

Some misgivings I have with facial recognition technology relates to issues like the accuracy of recognition when the device owner is not in a well-lit place or when he/she is putting on contact lenses/sunglasses/glasses; purposely directing your phone at your face and proper positioning when walking. 

Anyway, Apple's prowess cannot be doubted when it comes to creating revolutionary technologies. They are capable of being successful where others have tried and failed, as the last ten years have shown.

Related Reading:

iPhone 8 Rumors’ Summary: Would iPhone 8 be Like That?

Related Readings for Reference