Apple have released important information about the upcoming iPhone 8, and we’re not really sure how we feel about it. The information, released within a new application&OS=aanm/apple+and+pd/3/16/2017&RS=){href='http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=22&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&S1=(apple.AANM.+AND+20170316.PD.)&OS=aanm/apple+and+pd/3/16/2017&RS=(AANM/apple+AND+PD/20170316)' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'} with the U.S Patent and Trademark Office, comes with the news that the touch home button will no longer be a thing. Instead, Apple have supposedly decided to roll out new facial recognition technology - they are still refining alternative methods of biometric security to make this feature possible.
Yes you heard correctly, iPhone’s have gone (even more) futuristic on us. _AppleInsider&OS=aanm/apple+and+pd/3/16/2017&RS=){href='http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=22&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&S1=(apple.AANM.+AND+20170316.PD.)&OS=aanm/apple+and+pd/3/16/2017&RS=(AANM/apple+AND+PD/20170316)' target='blank' rel='noopener noreferrer'} broke it down for us: ‘The core idea of the patent is that a iPhone sees the front-facing camera to detect and recognise the user’s face, unlocking the device if the face it sees belongs to the authorised device owner…if the iPhone has been motionless for a period of time, and the camera cannot see the user, it can automatically lock. The reverse is also possible, namely if the iPhone starts moving and the facial recognition detects the user’s face, it can be unlocked without needing to enter a PIN or use Touch ID.’
While this all sounds very #tech and exciting – I actually have some issues with this whole facial recognition thing. I have enough trouble trying to get through security at the passport on those newly installed passport recognition booths – mainly because I no longer wear glasses on a daily basis and my passport photo features a much younger, much eager me with frames. So why bring this troublesome aspect to our most used possession? What happens if it’s dark, and your phone is sans light up Lumee phone case? Drunk you is going to have a big problem trying to unlock your phone to drunk text that ex you should be ignoring.
Or what if you’re running, and need to unlock your phone to figure out your route – your face is red and sweaty and sorry but facial recognition doesn’t recognise sweaty you. This doesn’t feel very natural, if anything it seems really counter-productive. Facial recognition takes time, and quite often we’re all in one big massive rush to unlock our phones.
The iPhone 8 is still expected to integrate touch ID within the phones display, but it is not currently known how – and according to Forbesit will not be a physical button, making it difficult to position a finger when unlocking your device. We’re all for change, but this one seems like Apple are just trying to out-do themselves (and the competition) to create a piece of technology so revolutionary they win the tech war. Keep the home button.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.