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Septembersrain

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Original poster
Dec 14, 2013
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Went to open my phone and lots of red. My vision went blurry. It's only happened once since I got the phone on January 14th. Has this ever happened to you?

Is it due to a delay or increased time for the sensor to work?
 
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Clix Pix

macrumors Core
I've never experienced seeing any sort of red light when I have picked up my iPhone to use it and Face ID immediately jumps into action.....ditto with my iPad that also has Face ID now, and I've been using Face ID since it first became available with the iPhone X. This red light thing sounds very odd; perhaps you have an unusual sensitivity to light? Or perhaps your WiFi or cellular data via your ISP is not all that strong or speedy and therefore there is a delay when Face ID kicks into gear? In any event this is not a common occurrence with Face ID.
 
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Septembersrain

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Original poster
Dec 14, 2013
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I just love the people insulting or using sarcasm on/at me. I'm looking into what occurred, if it hasn't happened to you that's fine.

This is why I disappear from this forum sometimes. Civility and understanding seems to be optional.

Thank you to the people who offered suggestions and understood.
 

Haus Of Montague

macrumors newbie
Nov 26, 2019
2
9
It's possible you may have a sensitivity to infrared light. I know science says our eyes cannot visually see the infrared light because it is outside the visual spectrum. But the human eye can still sense it. So it's possible you may have had a moment of sensitivity to IR and possibly see the red color. Just my guess.
 

MisterSavage

macrumors 601
Nov 10, 2018
4,639
5,489
Haven't had this to happen to me. I unlock the phone in the dark pretty frequently.

My Nest camera uses infrared for night vision and is always on in the dark. I can see faint red circles around the lens in that scenario.
 

alphaswift

macrumors 6502
Aug 26, 2014
410
1,170
Under certain circumstances a human eye can detect infrared light. That said, given that tens of millions of phones with Face ID have been sold, and those phones scan a face dozens of times per day and no news about problems have been raised -- someone would have to be pretty special to have a problem with it. It makes a ton more sense that something else was bothering your eye at that moment.
 
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Septembersrain

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Dec 14, 2013
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It's possible you may have a sensitivity to infrared light. I know science says our eyes cannot visually see the infrared light because it is outside the visual spectrum. But the human eye can still sense it. So it's possible you may have had a moment of sensitivity to IR and possibly see the red color. Just my guess.

I'm thinking it might have been my slow internet connection because I could also see red blinking around that time too. It hasn't happened since. It was very dark in my room.

It isn't such a big deal as it only caught me for a second and my eyesight was fine within seconds.
 
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ericwn

macrumors G4
Apr 24, 2016
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I'm thinking it might have been my slow internet connection because I could also see red blinking around that time too. It hasn't happened since. It was very dark in my room.

It isn't such a big deal as it only caught me for a second and my eyesight was fine within seconds.

So are you saying the red came from your router or how would your internet connect speed come into play here?
 

Septembersrain

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Dec 14, 2013
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So are you saying the red came from your router or how would your internet connect speed come into play here?

I'm not sure, I honestly don't know how else to explain it. That face ID would suddenly become visible.

I was going off a previous reply. If there is zero correlation between Face ID and my internet connection, I'm at a loss for ideas.

I am new to this as I just got the Pro Max in January. I had a 7 Plus before that. I'm just trying to make sense of this event. Is an anomaly I guess.
 
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ericwn

macrumors G4
Apr 24, 2016
11,846
10,442
I'm not sure, I honestly don't know how else to explain it. That face ID would suddenly become visible.

I was going off a previous reply. If there is zero correlation between Face ID and my internet connection, I'm at a loss for ideas.

I am new to this as I just got the Pro Max on January. I had a 7 Plus before that. I'm just trying to make sense of this event. Is an anomaly I guess.

The face recognition requires no network, that’s why I highly doubt there is any link there.

Best success anyway, hope you get to the bottom of this.
 
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snipr125

macrumors 68000
Oct 17, 2015
1,802
2,845
UK
OP if the infrared camera on the face id array has made your eyes blurry then dont risk your health, especially your eyesight. Sell your iphone 11 pro or return it if you are still within return window. Get an iphone 8 plus to tide you over until apple release an iphone with touch id under the screen (hopefully iphone 12 pro).
 
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bpeeps

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May 6, 2011
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I'm thinking it might have been my slow internet connection because I could also see red blinking around that time too. It hasn't happened since. It was very dark in my room.

It isn't such a big deal as it only caught me for a second and my eyesight was fine within seconds.
If it's not a big deal and had no long term effects, why make a post about it when you know no one else has experienced this weird phenomenon...
 
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johnmacward

macrumors 6502
Jul 12, 2011
342
252
I'm not sure, I honestly don't know how else to explain it. That face ID would suddenly become visible.

I was going off a previous reply. If there is zero correlation between Face ID and my internet connection, I'm at a loss for ideas.

I am new to this as I just got the Pro Max in January. I had a 7 Plus before that. I'm just trying to make sense of this event. Is an anomaly I guess.
There's no correlation between Face ID and the internet (note that it works in Airplane mode too) so, it's not an internet issue at all - that's for sure. Face ID is purely a way to gain access to your phone using your face as authentication - your unique face is your password. Seeing that it uses exclusively infrared light which eyes cannot see typically, I wonder if you're one of the rare ones that can sense it a little. And in complete darkness your sensitivity would go up from the lack of distraction from other light sources...
[automerge]1583426080[/automerge]
If it's not a big deal and had no long term effects, why make a post about it when you know no one else has experienced this weird phenomenon...
Well, isn't she trying to find out if someone else has experienced this - she has to ask to find out, doesn't she...?
 

ApfelKuchen

macrumors 601
Aug 28, 2012
4,334
3,011
Between the coasts
If this had been due to an ability to see infrared, it would have happened more than once, as Face ID does this fairly constantly - it's not just a matter of unlocking the phone, but also "attention awareness" features the detect when you are looking at the phone.

I don't have medical expertise, but it seems like it could have been some sort of vision "incident" - a burst capillary or a speck of dust landing on the eye, or some such.

Considering it happened just once, probably nothing to worry about, but if it repeats you may want to consider consulting a doctor instead of/in addition to an iPhone forum.
 
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bpeeps

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May 6, 2011
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There's no correlation between Face ID and the internet (note that it works in Airplane mode too) so, it's not an internet issue at all - that's for sure. Face ID is purely a way to gain access to your phone using your face as authentication - your unique face is your password. Seeing that it uses exclusively infrared light which eyes cannot see typically, I wonder if you're one of the rare ones that can sense it a little. And in complete darkness your sensitivity would go up from the lack of distraction from other light sources...
[automerge]1583426080[/automerge]

Well, isn't she trying to find out if someone else has experienced this - she has to ask to find out, doesn't she...?
I don't need to go on the internet to know people can't see IR light.
 
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Septembersrain

Cancelled
Original poster
Dec 14, 2013
4,347
5,451
There's no correlation between Face ID and the internet (note that it works in Airplane mode too) so, it's not an internet issue at all - that's for sure. Face ID is purely a way to gain access to your phone using your face as authentication - your unique face is your password. Seeing that it uses exclusively infrared light which eyes cannot see typically, I wonder if you're one of the rare ones that can sense it a little. And in complete darkness your sensitivity would go up from the lack of distraction from other light sources...
[automerge]1583426080[/automerge]

Well, isn't she trying to find out if someone else has experienced this - she has to ask to find out, doesn't she...?

I was just wondering if perhaps due to having the attention setting on, maybe Face ID had a minor delay or needed to read my face twice.

I guess I'm odd out here. I'm not worried as it only happened that once. I did read this article and I suppose under freak circumstances like Face ID submitting a double scan, it is possible to maybe see it.


 

Spudlicious

macrumors 6502a
Nov 21, 2015
936
818
Bedfordshire, England
I use wildlife cameras that illuminate with infra-red LEDs and very often I have suspected some animals can detect the light. Look at this bunny, he knows the score. So I'm not scoffing at the OP's claim, because just as people have differing hearing ranges, why shouldn't some have greater optical sensitivity at the infra-red end of the spectrum?

bunny.png
 
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