Why We Still Don’t Have Face ID on the Mac GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Computers
Why We Still Don’t Have Face ID on the Mac
Will we see it one day? Never?
By Charlie Sorrel Charlie Sorrel Senior Tech Reporter Charlie Sorrel has been writing about technology, and its effects on society and the planet, for 13 years. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 28, 2021 01:20PM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Computers Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
Technically, the new M1 iMac is capable of running Face ID.The Face ID camera is an expensive component. Maybe Face ID is going away completely? Apple Everybody wanted Face ID on the new 2021 iMac. Instead, we got yet another underwhelming camera and a Touch ID keyboard. What’s going on? Apple’s FaceID has been around since its 2017 debut in the iPhone X, and yet it has never been available in a Mac. Is there a technical reason for this? Does Apple think a biometric face-unlock is a poor match for a Mac? Or has it just not gotten around to it yet? "Apple doesn't like to make an entire suite of sweeping changes to its product lines," Rex Freiberger, CEO of Gadget Review, told Lifewire via email. "They test new features out in a way that allows them to iterate if they do well and scrap them if they don't. While FaceID works and is successful on mobile devices, there's no guarantee it would work well on desktop." The Case for a Face
There may be no machine better suited for Face ID than the iMac. Whenever you use it, your face is right there in front of the screen, exactly where the Face ID’s depth camera wants you to be. Early iPhone versions of Face ID sometimes had trouble seeing you. Even the current iPhone 12, which has the most responsive Face ID yet in my experience, can’t see your face when it’s laying flat on your desk. You have to pick up the phone, or crane your neck to put your face in its field of view. Apple Compare this to the iPad Pro, which has had a Face ID camera since 2018. The iPad’s camera has a slightly wider viewing angle, presumably to account for the fact that it can find itself on the top, bottom, or either side of the screen as you hold it. When the iPad is mounted on a keyboard case or a desk stand, Face ID is pretty much infallible. Tap a key on the keyboard and it wakes up, sees you, and unlocks. It’s so reliable, it’s almost like the iPad never locks. The iMac is equally well-placed to read your face. Better, in fact, as the top of its screen is at eye level. Technical Hitches
Before the M1 iMac, there were a few technical reasons not to include Face ID on a Mac. One was the MacBook’s screen is too thin to fit in the Face ID’s camera array. This array can fit into Apple’s thinnest hardware, the iPad Pro, but take a look at the tapered edges of a MacBook screen. It’s also possible the Mac just couldn’t handle it. The A-series chips used in iOS devices have a secure enclave, a hardware feature that handles security duties, and keeps itself separate from the main system. Was that the problem? Perhaps, but not likely. They test new features out in a way that allows them to iterate if they do well and scrap them if they don't. Apple’s T2 chip was a way to bring some of the iPhone and iPad’s security features to the Mac. It’s what enables Touch ID on the MacBooks, for example. And now, of course, the Mac is using the same M1 chip as the iPad, so any remaining technical barriers are gone. The " M" Word
Perhaps, then, this is all a marketing decision. The new iMacs should be able to incorporate Face ID easily enough, but perhaps it’s just too expensive. The new 24-inch M1 iMac is well-priced, compared to previous models. And we know the Face ID array is expensive to make, compared to Touch ID. Apple The array includes the selfie camera, plus a projector that beams tens of thousands of infrared dots onto your face, and a reader for those dots. One estimate, from 2017, puts the component cost for this TrueDepth sensor cluster at $16.70. Another says that it is closer to $60. That could be too costly to put in a budget iMac, just like Apple didn’t put it into the latest iPad Air. The iMac Pro
There’s another iMac still to come. Apple still sells the old Intel-based 27-inch iMac, and will have to replace it with an Apple Silicon version eventually. One possibility is it calls the bigger iMac an iMac Pro, which would let it load in more features and charge more for them. Apple doesn't like to make an entire suite of sweeping changes to its product lines. Could it be that this rumored ~30-inch iMac could be equipped with Face ID? The answer is a resounding "maybe." We can’t know for sure, but if Apple doesn’t add it to an expensive, pro-targeted iMac, then it will probably never add it to any Mac. There’s one final option, though. Maybe Face ID is on its way out entirely. Face unlock proved to be a liability in 2020, and the latest iPad Air has proved Apple can build Touch ID into the power button. Maybe Apple isn’t adding Face ID to the Mac because Face ID isn’t long for this world. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire ProMotion Display iMac: News and Expected Price, Release Date, Specs; and More Rumors How to Use Touch ID on iMac How to Use Passkeys on iPhone, iPad, or Mac How to Set Up and Use Touch ID, the iPhone Fingerprint Scanner How to Cancel Your Apple Music Subscription iMac 2021: News, Price, Release Date, and Specs iPhone 15: News, Rumors, and Estimated Price, Release Date, and Specs What Is the Newest Generation of the iPad? iMac M1 (2021) Review: A Visual Refresh and the Powerful M1 Chip How to Connect a Magic Keyboard to Your iPad or iPad Pro All About the Apple iPhone X iPad Pro (2021, M1) Review: Desktop Performance in a Tablet Everything You Need to Know About iPhone Face ID What You Should Know Before You Buy an iMac How to Fix It When the iPhone Face ID is Not Working The 6 Best All-in-One PCs, Tested by Experts Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies