iPhone X Face ID facial recognition system is NOT suitable for kids, Apple reveals
APPLE is just weeks away from unleashing its flagship 10th anniversary iPhone X.
Now it has spoken out to reveal details of its super-advanced Face ID facial recognition system, which will let users unlock the device using their face.
The system raised privacy questions and some anxieties over whether someone could force you to unlock your phone by pointing it at your face.
But Apple has now published a document explaining the security mechanisms built into the phone.
It also warned parents that FaceID should not be used by anyone of less than 13 years of age.
The iPhone X will be available to pre-order from October 27 and will go on general release from November 3.
The iPhone X, as well as the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, will have wireless charging - with the X also boasting increased battery life and a A11 Bionic chip, which motors along at 2.4GHz.
Here's what you need to know about how Face ID works and the precautions Apple has taken for privacy and security.
How does Face ID work?
Face ID captures both a 3-D and 2-D image of your face using infrared light while you're looking straight at the camera.
Apple then compares that information to images you took while setting up Face ID.
This comparison is performed using a "neural network" that lives on the iPhone X's new A11 chip.
Five unsuccessful attempts at Face ID will force you to enter a passcode which you'll need anyway just to set up facial recognition.
That requires you to come up with a secure string of digits or, for extra security, a string of letters and numbers to protect your privacy.
Is Apple going to store a picture of my face in the cloud?
No. Your face isn't leaving your device.
The iPhone X will store representations of your face in its "secure enclave," a hardware-based enclosure designed to be resistant to spying and tampering.
Its phone-based neural net processing means the image representations never have to go anywhere.
The gadget does allow third-party apps to let you sign in via Face ID, but these outside developers only receive notifications from Apple that you've been authenticated or not.
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Other apps "can't access Face ID or the data associated with the enrolled face," the company said in its security white paper.
The only time your images can leave the phone is when you call Apple's support service, AppleCare.
If you're having trouble with Face ID, you can select which images you want to send for diagnostics, the company said.
Can someone unlock my iPhone X by pointing it at me?
Maybe, although Face ID only works if you're looking at it. So turning away is one emergency measure you could take.
Apple has also provided a panic button feature.
Simultaneously squeeze the iPhone X's power button and either volume button for two seconds, and it will temporarily disable Face ID by turning the phone off.
Just as with Touch ID, the phone requires a passcode after a restart. The process essentially turns your phone into a brick for anyone who doesn't know your passcode.
What happens if I get fat, shave my head or grow a massive beard?
Apple says its algorithms learn to adapt to appearance changes over time.
The system keeps recent images and uses them to allow unlocking if they are close enough to the registered image.
But if you undergo sudden changes in appearance like shaving a beard, for instance the phone will only add the new image to its library if you follow a failed Face ID attempt by immediately entering your passcode.
Should my child use Face ID?
Absolutely not.
Apple said the function would not work properly with younger people's faces because "their distinct facial features may not have fully developed".
Normally, there is just a one in million chance that someone has a face that looks enough like yours to unlock your phone.
But that could be reduced in children.
So keep the iPhone away from your bambinos, just like you would any other gadget that costs £999.