Code in macOS Big Sur Suggests Face ID Could Be Coming to Macs
Apple's Face ID feature that allows a device to be unlocked with a facial scan is limited to the iPhone and the iPad at the current time, but code found in macOS Big Sur suggests that Face ID may come to Macs in the future.
Adding a TrueDepth camera system and Face ID to the Mac would be a logical next step for the feature, and 9to5Mac located Face ID references in the latest Big Sur beta, including an extension with code to support a "PearlCamera" function.
"Pearl" is the codename that Apple has used for Face ID and the TrueDepth camera system since the feature first launched in the iPhone X.
There are "FaceDetect" and "BioCapture" references inside the extension, and those names certainly suggest a TrueDepth camera feature for Mac.
Right now, Apple's MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models use Touch ID, and have a Touch ID button built into the keyboard that's powered by the T2 chips in the machines. Apple's Macs have supported Touch ID since 2016 when the Touch Bar was first introduced in MacBook Pro models.
There's no word on when Macs might get Face ID support or which Macs will be first to get it, but there are some major design tweaks rumored for machines like the iMac, the MacBook Air, and the MacBook Pro with the transition to mini-LED and Apple Silicon chips, so Face ID could be rolled out alongside of these updates.
It could also be a feature that will take longer to implement, and we've thus far heard no confirmed rumors on when Apple might make the transition.
Related Stories
We've seen a lot of teasers about the Beats Studio Buds over the past month since they first showed up in Apple's beta software updates, and today they're finally official. The Beats Studio Buds are available to order today in red, white, and black ahead of a June 24 ship date, and they're priced at $149.99.
The Studio Buds are the first Beats-branded earbuds to truly compete with AirPods...
Apple has been involved in a long-running iPhone trademark dispute in Brazil, which was revived today by IGB Electronica, a Brazilian consumer electronics company that originally registered the "iPhone" name in 2000.
IGB Electronica fought a multi-year battle with Apple in an attempt to get exclusive rights to the "iPhone" trademark, but ultimately lost, and now the case has been brought to...
YouTube is planning to stop supporting its YouTube app on the third-generation Apple TV models, where YouTube has long been available as a channel option.
A 9to5Mac reader received a message about the upcoming app discontinuation, which is set to take place in March.Starting early March, the YouTube app will no longer be available on Apple TV (3rd generation). You can still watch YouTube on...
Google has rolled out picture-in-picture support as an "experimental" feature for YouTube premium subscribers, allowing them to watch video in a small window when the app is closed.
If you're a premium YouTube subscriber looking to try out picture-in-picture, follow these steps: Launch a web browser and sign into your YouTube account at YouTube.com.
Navigate to www.youtube.com/new.
Scroll...
Apple's new macOS Mojave update is not compatible with mid-2010 and mid-2012 Mac Pros with stock GPUs, but it is supported on 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro models that have been upgraded with graphics cards that support Metal.
Apple today shared a new support document that provides a list of graphics cards that are Metal-capable, which will be useful for 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro owners who want to...
Apple has published a FAQ titled "Expanded Protections for Children" which aims to allay users' privacy concerns about the new CSAM detection in iCloud Photos and communication safety for Messages features that the company announced last week. "Since we announced these features, many stakeholders including privacy organizations and child safety organizations have expressed their support of...
During today's earnings call covering the third fiscal quarter of 2021 (second calendar quarter), Apple CFO Luca Maesteri said that Apple is expecting supply constraints to affect the iPhone and the iPad in the coming quarter.
"The supply constraints that we've seen in the June quarter will be higher in the September quarter," said Maestri. The constraints will impact iPhone and iPad sales...
If you unwrapped an Apple product today it likely came with one of the company's first-party Lightning cables, but having an extra on hand is always a good idea, so you can place it in other rooms in your house, in your car, or in a bag when you travel.
For that reason, now's a good time to shop for third-party Lightning cables that are cheaper than Apple's own accessory, but still Made For...
Apple is currently engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with persistent kids looking to circumvent Screen Time restrictions, but the company has been receiving some criticism for not moving quickly enough to lock down some of the loopholes, reports The Washington Post.
A few of the loopholes and ways for parents to shut them down are documented on the site Protect Young Eyes, while these and...
Apple recently dropped the $19.99 fee for OS X Lion and Mountain Lion, making the older Mac updates free to download, reports Macworld.
Apple has kept OS X 10.7 Lion and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion available for customers who have machines limited to the older software, but until recently, Apple was charging $19.99 to get download codes for the updates.
As of last week, these updates no...
Top Rated Comments
It does make sense to start out with the iMac though, given that MacBooks already have built-in keyboards.
It's analogous to the iPhone lineup: TouchID for home button phones, FaceID for buttonless.
Imagine sitting down in front of your iMac and it automatically unlocks YOUR session (or logs in if you haven't yet). You don't even have to tell it who you are. When you get up, it locks the screen after a few seconds. It would be seamless.
I'm really surprised Apple hasn't done this yet since it's so obvious and would be such a cool "magic-like" feature, which we know Apple tends to be fond of.