Confession: I Hate Face ID

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I’ve spent a few months with the iPhone X and Face ID now, and I can honestly say I’ve formed a complete opinion on Face ID. I hate it. I hate it so much. I didn’t really realize how much I hated it until I got my HTC U11 and started using the fingerprint sensor on it. It’s so instantaneously fast that my phone is unlocked before the screen comes on, and it just boots to my home screen.

I don’t always have an unobstructed view at my phone, a few inches away from my face, with my entire face visible, but do you know how I always interact with my iPhone? No? You can’t figure out what I always do with my touch screen smartphone?

I TOUCH IT.

I touch it with my fingers. Do you know what my fingers have?

FINGERPRINTS.

They’re completely unique to me, not even a twin would have the same fingerprints. You know what they’re great for? Identifying me! You could build an entire security system around it!

What’s Wrong With Face ID?

• Face ID only works in a “sweet spot,” about a foot away from your face, but no more than 2 feet.
• Face ID doesn’t work in landscape orientation.
• You can’t unlock your phone without looking at it.
• The iPhone X won’t unlock on your table.
• It’s hard to wake your iPhone X in the morning with your head on the pillow and your eyes half open. This is a serious problem!
• It’s simply not as convenient as Touch ID.

How Can Apple Improve Face ID?

They can’t. Face ID can never be both secure as Touch ID and as convenient as it. Sure, Apple could improve it by allowing it to work in landscape orientation, but that’s only a small improvement. Nothing else could improve Face ID without sacrificing security. The sad fact of the matter is, Face ID is a flawed idea. Unfortunately, due to the stubbornness of Apple, we’re likely stuck with it.

I have seen the future though. It’s not from Apple. Instead, it’s from a chinese smartphone company, Vivo. The Vivo Apex is a concept phone with an in-display fingerprint sensor. Imagine just touching your iPhone anywhere and it unlocks for you. That’s the future. Not “Pick up and look directly at the phone you don’t need to look at to use and only hold it right here, in this specific way.”

Swallow your pride, Apple, release Touch ID 3, with an in-screen fingerprint sensor.