Apple reportedly testing new FaceID hardware that works with masks | Digit

It is no secret that Apple is working on its iPhone 13 line-up of flagships which are expected to launch later this year. As is the case always, these will feature the best in technology that Apple has to offer, including improvements in hardware and supporting software. And according to a new report, one of these changes this year could be new Face ID hardware for the iPhone 13 lineup that will reportedly work with face masks and even foggy glasses. 

The report claims that this new facial recognition technology has also forced Apple to make some design changes, impacting not only the size of the notch but also the positioning of the selfie camera. Coming courtesy of FrontPageTech.com, the report claims that Apple has given some of its employees’ access to this technology and that they have been asked to test the new Face ID array with their iPhone 12.

The use of this new tech on the iPhone 12 is being handled through an external solution that fits like a case around the current-gen iPhones once it is connected. The report explains that once set, this case enables the iPhone 12 to use the array as the default source for biometric authentication. If this is indeed true, it may give Apple the chance to test the new Face ID hardware on a large scale much before the iPhone 13 is launched. As we explained above, this tech could be quite revolutionary as it will reportedly allow users to wear masks and glasses. 

Apart from this, there’s other information available about the device. As per leaks, iPhone 13 should feature the same design language and a similar feature set as the iPhone 12 launched in 2020. Reports also suggest there will be camera improvements, a faster processor and a bigger battery to make the phone a better offering than the iPhone 12. Apart from this, Apple may add an in-display fingerprint sensor to the iPhone 13. This would of course be complemented by the company’s Face ID system which will act as an alternate biometric authentication method. 

The iPhone 13 is expected to be powered by the A15 Bionic chipset. This will be the successor to the current generation A14 Bionic chipset. This chipset is likely to provide a boost in performance and also improve efficiency. For cameras, it is predicted that the iPhone 13 will come with larger sensors and improved computational algorithms. All iPhone 13 models are also set to be equipped with the sensor-shift stabilization feature — something that is currently only available on the iPhone 12 Pro Max.