Apple Gets Another Patent for In-display Face ID

Apple has been granted a new patent detailing methods for placing Face ID components, including the optical radiation source used for 3D mapping and facial recognition, behind the active display area. This design represents a significant advancement in Apple’s biometric integration strategy, building on the company’s ongoing efforts to enhance its TrueDepth camera system while maximizing display space.

Analyst Jeff Pu has indicated that the iPhone 17 Pro Max may feature a significantly narrower Dynamic Island, aligning with the possibility of under-display Face ID implementation. This development follows industry trends toward full-screen displays, with competitors like Google reportedly advancing their own under-display facial recognition technologies. Additionally, reports about the introduction of an “iPhone 17 Air” model emphasize a sleek design, which could be facilitated by embedding Face ID components beneath the display.

While previous predictions anticipated under-display Face ID in earlier iPhone models, the latest patent developments and design forecasts suggest that the technology may debut with the iPhone 17 lineup. The technical challenges of maintaining Face ID’s security standards while placing components under the display have been a significant factor in this timeline.

Apple introduced Face ID in September 2017 with the launch of the iPhone X, marking a significant shift in biometric authentication for their devices. This new technology replaced Touch ID, Apple’s previous fingerprint-based system, and was designed to provide a more secure and convenient way to unlock iPhones and authenticate various actions. The transition represented one of the most significant changes in mobile biometric authentication, establishing new industry standards for facial recognition security.

Face ID uses the TrueDepth camera system, which projects and analyzes thousands of invisible dots to create a depth map of the user’s face. The system also captures an infrared image, and this data is processed by the device’s Neural Engine to create a mathematical representation of the face. This approach differs from simpler 2D facial recognition systems by incorporating advanced 3D mapping techniques that significantly enhance security and reduce vulnerability to spoofing attempts.

Since the iPhoneX, Face ID has been incorporated into all non-SE iPhone models and iPad Pro devices from 2018 onwards. Over the years, Apple has made several improvements to Face ID, including faster recognition speeds with iOS 13 and hardware enhancements that allowed for a smaller notch on the iPhone 13 series. In response to the challenges posed by face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, Apple introduced mask-compatible Face ID for iPhone 12 and later devices with the release of iOS 15.4 in March 2022, demonstrating the system’s adaptability to changing user needs while maintaining security standards.

Source: 9to5Mac

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December 4, 2024 – by Ji-seo Kim