iPhone 11 Is faster Face ID a hardware upgrade?

[aFlockaCgulz]

With a 12MP front facing camera I’d say it is better. Low light operation, and it works


The neural engine resides inside the SOC where the CPU is, the GPU, is and the system memory is too!

The neural engine is not in the cpu


aluminum discovery

When I used the term CPU I meant the A13, which is really more of a SoC.

Nevertheless, the Neural Engine is part of the A13, so the A13 is utilized during FaceID.

 

[newellj]

I‘m assuming that Apple updated the FaceID infrared camera (as they did the front facing camera).
So while there may be hardware based improvements along with iOS13 based improvements, the guts of FaceID (the dot projector, and flood illuminator) have assumably remained the same; so it wouldn’t make sense to specifically promote it updates as Gen 2.

Do you think that leaving the dot projector and illuminator could remain unchanged and still give you better angles? I wouldn't think so but that's just a WAG.

It won’t.

Best guess is that that the 30% faster FaceID is a combination of increased processing speed, slight tweaks to the TrueDepth cameras for distance and angle, along with iOS 13 enhancements.

That sounds reasonable. This is just one of the reasons that the iFixit teardown will be interesting. The other thing I want to see is whether there really is bilateral charging hardware in these phones.

 

[aFlockaCgulz]

Do you think that leaving the dot projector and illuminator could remain unchanged and still give you better angles? I wouldn't think so but that's just a WAG.



That sounds reasonable. This is just one of the reasons that the iFixit teardown will be interesting. The other thing I want to see is whether there really is bilateral charging hardware in these phones.

Definitely waiting for the tear down.

Best thing about ifixit’s teardown is that they do it in Australia so we can get the deets as soon as humanly possible.

 

[newellj]

Here's another data point. The spec sheet for the 11 make no mention at all of any change in FaceID, while the 11 Pro spec sheet talks about faster, longer and wider FaceID? Unless Apple deliberately crippled FaceID in the 11, it's probably not being done only with tweaks in iOS.

I'm not saying it has to be one thing or another, but to me logic points pretty strongly to hardware. But we should see within a week, which will be very interesting.

 

[tommyboy9996]

Do you guys think it will finally unlock in landscape? That’s one annoyance I have when I have the phone mounted in landscape.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

Do you guys think it will finally unlock in landscape? That’s one annoyance I have when I have the phone mounted in landscape.

I'm pretty sure they would have mentioned that in the keynote.

 

[newellj]

Do you guys think it will finally unlock in landscape? That’s one annoyance I have when I have the phone mounted in landscape.

No, my guess is not. I don't think Apple realizes that you guys are doing that.

 

[tommyboy9996]

I'm pretty sure they would have mentioned that in the keynote.

No, my guess is not. I don't think Apple realizes that you guys are doing that.

I hope they do, I know they implemented it in the pro iPads. I’m sure they could of just pushed out a software update on the XS Max.

 

[justperry]

The processor is part of unlocking the phone via FaceID.



It stands to reason the faster the CPU can confirm a match, the faster the device will unlock.

I always thought the secure enclave was on a separate dedicated chip, guess I was wrong, learned something, thanks.

It is isolated from the main chip though.

 

[andrew1995]

Do you guys think it will finally unlock in landscape? That’s one annoyance I have when I have the phone mounted in landscape.

May do as the iPad Pro unlocks fine when in landscape

 

[ke-iron]

Apple may not call it second gen but it has definitely been upgraded from the original Face ID. Just like the second generation Touch ID unlocked much faster, this Face ID unlocks 30% faster and works at more angles according to Apple website. What seems to be the problem understand that it is not the same hardware as previous iPhones.

 

[The Game 161]

It’s upgraded just not as much as might be going forward

If it works on a tablet then it’s improved

 

[Nacho98]

To be clear, I'm sincerely hoping the better angles/distances are due to second generation hardware. I can't imagine they aren't, but I also am not on the development team and I just haven't seen anything from anyone at Apple explicitly saying it's hardware - I'd be surprised if it were possible with software.

 

[First Post G]

I don't think the would call an updated FaceID "2nd Gen" until they make it smaller or under the screen. I believe hearing/seeing that it is supposed to be 30% faster than the previous version, which as I recall, was the same improvement from 1st gen to 2nd gen TouchID. I think it will be a comparable step up.

 

[Broken Hope]

What I want to know is if it’s 30% faster than the XS whilst running iOS 13, which was already 30% faster than the X.

Meaning, is it 60% faster than the X at Face ID?

 

[AXone1814]

They spoke about faster Face ID with the iPhone 11 range but I didn’t find it very clear whether this was a Face ID hardware upgrade or whether this is the speed improvements we’ve already been told about with iOS 13. Has this been clarified anywhere?

 

[JPack]

They spoke about faster Face ID with the iPhone 11 range but I didn’t find it very clear whether this was a Face ID hardware upgrade or whether this is the speed improvements we’ve already been told about with iOS 13. Has this been clarified anywhere?

It's a hardware upgrade as there's no other way to increase the range and angle with software.

Kuo told us last year Apple would raise the output power of the VCSEL flood illuminator.

 

[Itsedstech]

Looks like hardware. In the big slide it says “enhanced Face ID” which means they upgraded components. And In the presentation it showed the guy swipe up on the unlock screen while laying down after he snoozed it.

 

[C DM]

Looks like hardware. In the big slide it says “enhanced Face ID” which means they upgraded components. And In the presentation it showed the guy swipe up on the unlock screen while laying down after he snoozed it. View attachment 859027

That could also be taken to mean that the software related to it has been modified/improved without actual upgrade components.

 

[newellj]

That could also be taken to mean that the software related to it has been modified/improved without actual upgrade components.

Nothing you can do to the firmware is going to increase the angles at which it will read a face. But the real answer will be what iFixit finds when they tear one of these phones apart.