Touch ID security on Apple’s latest notebook is one more sign the company’s not done with fingerprint biometrics. Apple has upgraded its flagship MacBook Pro computers, announcing that the new 15-inch Pro will be the first MacBook with an 8-core Intel processor. The 8-core notebook will be twice as fast as the previous generation quad-core…
This week’s batch of top stories from FindBiometrics is about as varied as they come, spanning acquisitions, iPhones, executive changes, and more. Nevertheless, it’s still possible to discern a couple of themes, with a major through-line being the ongoing importance of mobile biometrics. Apple is responsible to a considerable extent for having launched this booming…
There was a time – and it wasn’t so long ago – when biometric authentication was an extremely niche area of technological research and security. Indeed, until recently, the idea of scanning a fingerprint or face or eye for identification was often placed in the realm of science fiction, so far as pop culture has…
Apple’s introduction of the face-scanning Face ID system in 2017’s iPhone X went a long way in helping to make facial recognition for authentication a mainstream technology among consumers. But it was Amazon that really made facial recognition for large-scale public identification explode into the national discourse as an ethical issue, after an ACLU report…
US-based engineering firm II-VI is reassuring investors that its acquisition of Finisar should proceed as planned despite the US government’s placement of Huawei on its trade blacklist. The acquisition was approved by shareholders of both companies earlier this year, paving the way for a merger that could significantly extend the applications of Finisar’s 3D Sensing…
“It would be a surprising move for Apple after the company dropped fingerprint scanning in its pivot to 3D facial recognition, but Apple has gestured in this direction in recent patents…” Analysts with Barclays have laid out some predictions for Apple’s 2019 and 2020 iPhones, and they include a potential comeback for Touch ID. The…
The Apple Pay network continues to expand. The tech giant has announced that its biometrically secured mobile wallet platform is now available in Iceland, launching with support from the Icelandic banks Arion Banki and Landsbankinn. More banks are expected to add support for the platform in the not-too-distant future. To use Apple Pay, Arion Banki…
‘On-device biometrics’ is probably one of the most important concepts in today’s digital security landscape, yet it’s also an idea that is not widely understood by everyday users. It refers to a question that a lot of people don’t even think of – where does my biometric data go when it’s scanned? It’s a crucial…
A newly published Apple patent application suggests that an unexpected biometric modality could be on its way to Mac computers. The patent application was originally filed with the European Patent Office in 2017, and, as Patently Apple reports, expands the number of features that could potentially be delivered through the Mac Touch Bar from 12…
A newly published Apple patent application suggests that an unexpected biometric modality could be on its way to Mac computers. The patent application was originally filed with the European Patent Office in 2017, and, as Patently Apple reports, expands the number of features that could potentially be delivered through the Mac Touch Bar from 12 to 106. …
Apple has filed a patent for a new form of biometric authentication that could be deployed in a future version of the Apple Watch. Originally filed in Q3 2018, the new invention is a light field camera capable of sub-epidermal imaging. The camera would be placed on the underside of the Apple Watch, where it…
“While the ECG capability is itself a significant technological advancement, it’s possible that the underlying technology could eventually be leveraged for biometric authentication, since each individual’s cardiac data is unique.” The Apple Watch’s electrocardiogram capability is now being rolled out in Europe and Hong Kong through a new software update. First unveiled along with Apple’s…
“A titanium physical card will also be available for shopping in stores, but the card won’t feature a card number, CVV, signature, or even an expiry date – all of that information will need to be accessed from the iPhone.” The rumors were true: Among its other announcements this week, Apple has unveiled a new…
A co-founder of MoviePass is looking to leverage Apple’s Face ID system for a new movie ticket platform, according to Adweek. The aim is to force members to watch ads in exchange for movie tickets, and the company is hoping that early adopters will pay for the privilege through a Kickstarter campaign. Whereas the idea…
“Alcatraz AI has indicated that it will use its new capital to further refine its computer vision technology…” Alcatraz AI, a biometric AI startup founded by a former Apple engineer, has brought in $6 million in venture capital through a new funding round. The company specializes in 3D facial recognition for access control. It was…
The legal debate over whether police can compel criminal suspects to unlock their smartphones with biometrics has reached its highest profile yet, with the news that FBI investigators sought permission to use Michael Cohen’s fingerprints or face to unlock his iPhone. Cohen has been near the center of the ongoing investigation into possible campaign violations…
Newly published patent applications from Apple suggest that the company is still working on improvements to the renowned 3D facial recognition system used to authenticate users on its latest iPhones. As Patently Apple reports, one of the patents concerns the use of ‘subepidermal imaging’ to assess features such as blood vessels to establish an even…
Seeking to get ahead of the rising trend of 3D facial recognition, IDEMIA has announced a new partnership with Infineon and Pmdtechnologies to develop a refined solution for OEMs and systems integrators. IDEMIA is no stranger to 3D facial recognition technology, having announced software designed for infrared cameras last September. But in a new statement,…
LG is taking a run at Apple’s 3D facial recognition dominance, with plans to introduce a similar solution in its forthcoming LG G8 ThinQ smartphone, to be unveiled at this year’s Mobile World Congress. The smartphone will leverage Time-of-Flight technology developed by Infineon and Pmdtechnologies. Their sensor chip, first announced over a year ago, is…