The face ID of the iPhone is not perfect, but you can improve it

A new batch of iPhones has landed, accompanied by the extension of Apple's face ID and the ability to turn your face into a password.

Face ID is an incredibly advanced facial recognition biometry. Just take a look at the phone to unlock it. When it works, it's going pretty well, but it has its quirks. Especially for new users.

When I started using the iPhone X earlier this year, I found it failing throughout the day. Access denied when I wake up Refused when I put on glasses. Refused at my office Refused on the couch. Why does this gadget tell me I'm not the same?

And every time that fails, it slows you down, prompting you to unlock an access code. Cue trembling anxiety.

All this is incredibly frustrating when you are used to the ease and speed of a fingerprint scan on Touch ID. The Touch ID of my old iPhone did not care how I held the phone. He also did not judge my face early, thank you very much.

But after a few weeks, the frequency of the failures decreased. Face ID is designed to improve the more you use it. But something else has also changed. He became more reliable because I learned to better maneuver the phone.

For anyone who does not know the face ID and upgrade to the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR, get ready for a little learning.

Take for example the awkward dance of using Apple Pay, which uses Face ID to authenticate purchases. I felt like a dork trying to pay with my face, brandishing the line that was fumbling with my phone, seemingly trying to take a selfie just for my morning coffee.

After training and full of chips, I got the pace Apple Pay: double-tap the side button, preview my face as I approach the register, make the command – then tap the phone for the NFC sensor to pay.

I contacted Apple for more advice and I had answers to questions about why it was not working and tips for making it work better. Here is a brief description of what I learned and what to try if you encounter problems.

How does Face ID work?

Face scan technology is packaged in an area above the phone called the True Depth Camera. It scans the shape of your face with infrared light, a beam of 30,000 points invisible to the human eye. When the phone creates a depth map of your face, the data is transformed into a mathematical representation. It is encrypted and stored in your device, never backed up on iCloud or anywhere else.

The system focuses primarily on the details around the eyes, nose and mouth. If you block something in this area, you will fail.

The face ID also looks for that your eyes are open and that they are looking at the phone. And it works best if the phone is held 10 or 20 inches from your face.

This means that if you try to unlock the phone when you are leaning against a pillow or have your eyes narrowed, or if you hold the phone too close to your face, you will fail.

Is lighting important?

No, for the most part. Remember that this uses infrared light to scan your face. This means that it works inside, on the outside and even in a dark room.

You may have problems if the camera sensor is hit by direct sunlight. Intense sunlight may prevent the IR reader from properly scanning your face. But any other domestic light should not be strong enough to make a difference.

Are polarized sunglasses a problem?

Apple's answer: it depends. There are sunglasses that do not work with Face ID, but other models, even with polarized lenses, will work very well.

If your sunglasses do not work, they are designed so that the infrared light is completely blocked. Apple says several sunglass manufacturers are designing future models to ensure they work with the Face ID system.

Do I have to enter my password after each failure?

No. Sometimes face identification will fail because your face will not be seen properly. You can quickly try again by giving the phone a "dive" with your hand. Move the camera away by folding the wrist backwards, pointing the camera towards the sky. Then bring it back to your face.

After five unsuccessful attempts to match a face, you will need a password. It also requires a password when the phone is reset or if the phone has not been unlocked in two days.

But sometimes entering a password is a way to teach face identification and help it to improve. If you significantly change your appearance, such as shaving your beard, Face ID will ask you for a password to confirm your identity, and then update your face data to a file.

How does the alternative appearance in iOS 12?

If you still have problems with facial recognition, then you can add a "different look". This can be helpful if, say, your daytime look is radically different from your night look. Maybe you wear a pair of funky glasses on occasion. Maybe you are an artist with heavy makeup. Or maybe you have bad luck with the phone that accepts your face just woke up. In the latest operating system, a user can record two distinct aspects.

In the configuration menu for configuring the face ID, there is an option to set a second face as an alternative appearance. And even if Apple is not promoting, this appearance may be completely different if you wish.

If you add another person, I am told that this should not change your personal experience of face identity. By that, I mean you should not have more failures to add a different person on the other look. Both sides are two separate data files on the phone – it's not a matter of merging the two into a single hybrid face.

Am I wrong?

The use of facial identity requires that you think more about how you are holding the phone. You may need to move your head and arm to unlock it, making sure that it can see your face clearly while keeping your eyes glued to the screen. Do not expect it to work in multitasking.

It takes time to get used to it, but it gets easier with time. Except when it is to unlock the phone while lying down. You just have to give up on that one.

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