The front-facing 3D sensor on Apple's upcoming iPhone 8 will be the device's "crown jewel," able to unlock the iPhone 8 in a "few hundred milliseconds" to give users quick access to their smartphone and quickly authenticate Apple Pay purchases.

The statement comes in a new report by Bloomberg, and follows on the heels of a recent article by The Korea Herald which used similar language to describe the unlocking process on the iPhone 8. As we near the device's launch, expected in September, so-called "Face ID" has risen to the forefront of iPhone 8 rumors and is largely believed to be replacing Touch ID entirely on Apple's majorly redesigned tenth anniversary smartphone.

iphone8dummy2

The Korea Herald: The new facial recognition scanner with 3-D sensors can deeply sense a user’s face in the millionths of a second.

Bloomberg: The next iPhone will seamlessly mesh screen and charging technologies invented by others with such Apple innovations as a 3-D face scanner that unlocks the phone in a few hundred milliseconds. Upgrades to core technologies aside, the new iPhone’s crown jewel will be a 3-D facial scanning sensor that will unlock device and authenticate purchases—an industry first.

Recent HomePod leaks have also been building up Face ID features over the past few weeks. The HomePod discoveries started off with mention of infrared sensors in the iPhone 8's front-facing camera notch, which will reportedly allow the device to scan the user's face in dark environments, and then led to a string of code that suggested the iPhone 8 will be able to scan faces at various odd angles, including when it's flat on a table.

In the midst of the HomePod leaks, Mark Gurman tweeted that Apple's pitch for Face ID over Touch ID during its upcoming September keynote will be that "Face ID is quicker, more secure, and more accurate than Touch ID." Rumors that the iPhone 8 will omit Touch ID entirely began in early July in a report by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, which was then corroborated in a report by Bloomberg.

Bloomberg's original report mentioned an "improved" security system coming to iPhone 8, potentially with eye scanning to "augment the system," and the ability for the smartphone to be unlocked with an advanced 3D sensor within a few hundred milliseconds.

As more reports have built upon these original rumors -- including the general idea that Face ID will be more secure than Touch ID because it can capture more data points than a fingerprint scan -- users can expect that advanced facial recognition features will likely be one of the major talking points of Apple's iPhone 8 keynote next month.

Check out Bloomberg's full report here, including a few infographics about the new features coming to the iPhone 8 with a focus on Apple's "best, not first" philosophy.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

jlc1978 Avatar
98 months ago
This is getting very exciting.. Still worried about someone just shoving your phone near your face and unlocking it though. Doesn't sound very secure to me?! Or am I missing something? The phone doesn't even have to touch my body to be unlocked, that is kinda scary..
In addition, anyone the has your phone could unlock it simply by holding it up to your face, if it work as the article describes. Law enforcement, would not need a warrant to unlock your phone or even your assistance.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iLoveDeveloping Avatar
98 months ago
This is getting very exciting.. Still worried about someone just shoving your phone near your face and unlocking it though. Doesn't sound very secure to me?! Or am I missing something? The phone doesn't even have to touch my body to be unlocked, that is kinda scary..
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mjmar Avatar
98 months ago
Pretty sure Google thought this up years ago.
Pretty sure Google has a fingerprint scanner awkwardly on the back of its phone.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sunny1990 Avatar
98 months ago
Here is a photo showing iPhone 8 in details from Bloomberg's Article :-

Edit :- Another One

https://twitter.com/venyageskin1/status/899965348262400001

Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rpat701 Avatar
98 months ago
Such a classic Apple move. While everybody continues to think the same, they think different.
Pretty sure Google thought this up years ago.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacknTosh Avatar
98 months ago
Problem: Touch ID (version 2) is so quick, you blast past your notifications when you press the home button.
Solution: Raise to Wake.

Problem: FaceID is so fast, you blast past your notifications when you look at your phone.
Solution: Deactivate FaceID and use Touch ID.

Problem: IPhone 'may' not have TouchID as it's been replaced by the more secure FaceID.
Solution: Use a passcode.

Welcome back to 2014!!!!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
apple c1

Apple Unveils 'C1' as First Custom Cellular Modem

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:08 am PST by
Apple today announced its first custom cellular modem with the name "C1," debuting in the all-new iPhone 16e. The new modem contributes to the iPhone 16e's power efficiency, giving it the longest battery life of any iPhone with a 6.1-inch display, such as the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. Expanding the benefits of Apple silicon, C1 is the first modem designed by Apple and the most...
Apple Northbrook

Apple Store Permanently Closing at Struggling Mall in Chicago Area

Tuesday February 18, 2025 8:46 pm PST by
Apple is permanently closing its retail store at the Northbrook Court shopping mall in the Chicago area. The company confirmed the upcoming closure today in a statement, but it has yet to provide a closing date for the location. Apple Northbrook opened in 2005, and the store moved to a larger space in the mall in 2017. Apple confirmed that affected employees will continue to work for the...