Our pipeline introduces three innovative components.

Our pipeline introduces three innovative components.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. I tried to fool my Windows laptop's Face ID. Facial recognition on laptops has come a long way in the last decade. Long ago, I had an Android phone with an early facial recognition sign-in feature and someone could unlock my phone just by holding up a photo of me. Fast forward to 2025 and we have Windows Hello facial recognition sign-ins for PCs .

Apple is developing a smart doorbell and lock system that would use Face ID to unlock the door for known residents, Mark Gurman reports in the Power On newsletter. The face-scanning doorbell would connect to a smart deadbolt, which could include existing HomeKit-compatible third-party locks, according to Gurman. Or, Apple may "[team] up with a specific lock maker to offer a complete system on day one." It'll likely still be a while before we see the doorbell-lock system hit the market, though, if we see it at all. Gurman reports that it's in the early stages of development and wouldn't be ready until at least the end of next year.

Apple's upgraded MacBook Pro for 2024 gets a significant power boost with the M4 chip, double the memory as standard, even longer battery life and a price cut, ending the year on a high. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. The longstanding laptop line now starts at 1,599 ( 1,899/ 1,599/A 2,499), making it 100 or so cheaper than last year's M3 models. Though still an expensive, premium laptop, it comes with at least 16GB of RAM rather than 8GB, which was an upgrade worth paying extra for on previous models. The outside hasn't changed from its predecessor.

Apple today launched a new tool for iPhones to help reduce what a thief with your phone and passcode can access. The feature, called Stolen Device Protection, adds extra layers of protection to your iPhone when someone tries to access or change sensitive settings on your device. If someone tries to access passwords stored in Apple's keychain, for instance, they won't be able to unless they also use a fingerprint or the phone's face recognition to prove they're the legitimate owner. You don't need to look far to find stories of stolen phones. In London, a phone is stolen every six minutes.

Apple is set to add even more protection to the iPhone in the next iOS update, which will stop thieves from accessing smartphones with passcodes. Called'Stolen Device Protection,' the new setting promises to prevent cyber-criminals from locking iPhone users out of their Apple accounts or accessing any of their passwords stored in Apple's Keychain. If the feature detects an unknown location of the iPhone, it will require Apple's FaceID to unlock the device. Stolen Device Protection is set to roll out with Apple's iOS 17.3 but is currently being tested in beta. Apple is rolling out a new feature to protect its customers' passcodes, online banking access, private iCloud photos and videos, and everything else that a stolen, unlocked iPhone leaves vulnerable.

Two Tunisian men in their 20s have been arrested in Tokyo for allegedly having used Apple's Face ID feature to unlock a stranger's smartphone while the victim was drunk and asleep in order to fraudulently send large sums of money through a mobile banking app, according to media reports. The incident occurred last year on May 15 at a house in Tokyo where a 27-year-old Tunisian man allegedly used the victim's smartphone to send ¥500,000 to the bank account of his 25-year-old friend, who was also arrested. The three men are said to have met at a bar in Tokyo's Roppongi district earlier in the night and immediately hit it off. The victim, also in his 20s, invited one of the men back to his house for more drinks and fell asleep, Fuji TV reported. It is not exactly clear how the suspect unlocked the phone, since a smartphone's facial recognition system usually does not work if the eyes are closed.

Imagine this chilling possibility: as you sleep peacefully, someone in your home picks up your iPhone. It's shocking to think that anyone can unlock your phone without your knowledge when you're sleeping. As anyone with a relatively modern iPhone knows, it's possible using Apple's Face ID to open your phone just by looking at it A common fear is that someone could hold your phone to your face while you're sleeping to unlock it As anyone with a relatively modern iPhone knows, it's possible using Apple's Face ID to open your phone just by looking at it. It maps all your curves and wrinkles and stores that data as a key to unlock your phone. If there's a more significant change in your appearance, like shaving your beard, Face ID confirms your identity by using your passcode prior to updating your face data.

Face ID utilizes facial recognition technology to scan your face and verify your identity. When activated, the feature uses the front-facing camera, or selfie cam, to securely authenticate you are the owner of the iPhone. During the pandemic, Face ID received a lot of scrutiny for not functioning correctly, and it simply did not work whenever you were wearing your mask and attempted to unlock your iPhone. Before that realization, I'm sure you also noticed Face ID was much slower at unlocking your device when compared to its predecessor, Touch ID. Implementing this innovative and seemingly secure way of unlocking your precious iPhone was nothing short of a disaster.