In Power On newsletter on Sunday, Mark Gurman reports that (in his opinion) Apple . will bring Face ID to Macs as well as to iPhone SE and non-Pro iPads within the next few years
“I believe that implementing Face ID on all of its mainstream devices is the company's ultimate goal. If it were possible, Apple would have already abandoned Touch ID. But it had to stay for two reasons. On the iPhone SE and non-Pro iPad, it's a cheaper alternative that allows Apple to reduce costs while still offering security. On Mac laptops, the screens are too thin to implement the necessary depth sensor.“.
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Mark Gurman believes that “the camera built into the display will help differentiate Apple’s more expensive devices by eliminating the notch at the top.” According to trusted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the 2022 iPhone is expected to ditch the notch in favor of a new punch-hole display design. This new design, if true, would resemble the one Samsung uses for its flagship Galaxy smartphones.
However, both Kuo and Gurman do not believe these changes will come in 2021. Mark Gurman wrote in his newsletter:
“But I think that will change eventually. It won’t happen this year, but I’m betting that Face ID on the Mac is coming within a few years. I also expect all iPhones and iPads to switch to Face ID within the same timeframe. The facial recognition sensor will give Apple two key features: security and augmented reality. Touch ID, whether it’s more convenient or not, only provides the former.“.
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This isn't the first time we've heard that Apple is working on bringing Face ID to the Mac. 9to5Mac found reports of the TrueDepth camera into the system, suggesting that Apple is planning to bring facial recognition to its computers.
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A new extension has been found in macOS Big Sur beta 3 that appears to support “PearlCamera.” This is the codename Apple uses for the TrueDepth camera and Face ID, which was first revealed with the iPhone X leaks in 2017.
Earlier this year, Apple introduced the redesigned 24-inch iMac with the M1 chip. The pandemic and chip shortage may have played a role in the delay in implementing Face ID on the Mac.
Source: 9to5Mac
