Apple’s upcoming iOS 14.5 will let mask-wearing users open iPhones with an Apple Watch
- Apple is set to include a feature in the upcoming iOS 14.5 for mask-wearers
- The feature will allow them to open an iPhone without removing the mask
- It works with an Apple Watch that must be near the handset to work
- Once users activate the Face ID, the iPhone locates the user’s Watch
- The device then unlocks, but users can instantly lock the smartphone
Apple is set to release an update to iOS 14 that will make it easier for mask-wearing users to unlock their iPhone.
The new feature, included in iOS 14.5, incorporates a user’s Apple Watch to quickly authenticates and unlocks the iPhone.
Once the iPhone is lifted to the face, it instantly unlocks by determining the owner due to the Apple Watch in close proximity – but users can deny the action and lock the handset.
The features has long been available in Apple’s Mac, but due to the lingering coronavirus, the tech giant sees it being just as useful in the iPhone.
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Apple is set to release an update to iOS 14 that will make it easier for mask-wearing users to unlock their iPhone. The new feature, included in iOS 14.5, incorporates a user’s Apple Watch to quickly authenticate and unlock the iPhone
The coroinavirus started spreading across the US last year, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to swiftly release protocols to help limit it from spreading.
And the main recommendation was wearing a mask.
However, the face covering sparked fury among iPhone and other smartphone users because they had to remove the mask in order for the facial recognition technology to work properly.
Once the iPhone is lifted to the face, it instantly unlocks by determining the owner due to the Apple Watch in close proximity
Apple seems to have found a workaround, but only users with an Apple Watch will have access to it.
iOS 14.5 was released in beta to developers, who spotted the new feature, as first reported on by Pocket-Lint.
The feature only works when the Apple Watch is near the iPhone, but does not take the place of Face ID when making payments via Apple Pay.
And users will be prompted to put in their Apple Watch passcode every few hours in order to use the device to unlock an iPhone.
If you do not have an iPhone there is any way to teach your handset to recognize your face with a mask.
Researchers at Tencent Security’s Xianwu Lab cracked the code last Apple on how to train an iPhone to recognize users while wearing a mask. They say to use a brand-new mask, fold it in half and hook the one side around your ear so it lays flat on your face
Researchers at Tencent Security’s Xianwu Lab cracked the code last Apple on how to train an iPhone to recognize users while wearing a mask.
The video tutorial shows a user folding a brand-new mask in half, laying it on one side of their face and going through the process of setting up the biometric system
They say to use a brand-new mask, fold it in half and hook the one side around your ear so it lays flat on your face.
Hold the mask in the lower middle position with your hand, pull it to the semi-masked state without any creases.
While half of your face is covered, pull up Face ID on your iPhone and follow the prompts.
However, the team found that not all masks will work with the trick – it seems that those made of soft material are recognizable.
‘We have tried many different types of masks, including ordinary disposable medical masks, N95 masks, masks with breathing valves, etc., which have not been found to be unsuitable,’ reads the blog.
‘The three-dimensional cup-shaped mask cannot be folded, but in theory, a similar entry operation can be performed by cutting half.’
They also note that it doesn’t always work so you may need to be patient or to just use your numerical passcode.