OnePlus To Add Face Unlock Feature to OnePlus 5
It was recently confirmed that Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus will be bringing its new Face Unlock feature to an earlier released device, the OnePlus 5.
The news was confirmed by no less than OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei through a social media post on Christmas Eve. Pei told his more than 120,000 Twitter followers: "Due to popular demand, Face Unlock is coming for the OnePlus 5. Thanks for the feedback, and Merry Christmas!"
Face Unlock was introduced along with the release of the OnePlus 5T. It works much like iPhone X's Face ID, which primarily serves as a biometric authentication feature. Several reviews have praised the Face Unlock feature for working its magic in a very fast pace, so it is not that surprising that many OnePlus 5 owners would want to get the same experience on their smartphones.
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On the other hand, it is important to note that the Face Unlock system on the OnePlus 5T is not as complicated as iPhone X's Face ID. The latter uses a TrueDepth camera and other sensors to create a facial map with up to 30,000 infrared dots. It is later processed and translated into a mathematical formula, which is then stored in the A11 Bionic's Secure Enclave.
However, a review of the OnePlus 5T found on The Verge noted that the device can get away with the simpler Face Unlock feature considering that it was only offered as a faster way to activate a device. People will not be able to use it for accessing sensitive accounts or in making online payments like in Face ID.
OnePlus is still dedicated to further improving its Face Unlock feature even if it is intended to cater more to user convenience rather than security. In an earlier statement, OnePlus said (via 9To5Google): "In an upcoming update, the phone will understand whether the subject is emitting light (a phone) versus reflecting (your actual face) by analyzing shadows and bright areas."
