Apple confirmed longstanding speculation last week with its unveiling of its three new iPhone models for 2018. Like last year’s iPhone X, all of the new devices have abandoned Apple’s pioneering Touch ID fingerprint authentication system in favor of Face ID, an infrared, 3D facial recognition system. Face ID is now the sole means of…
The biometrics industry has seen explosive growth over the last several years, thanks in large part to advancements in technology and a growing awareness of the need for sophisticated biometric security in the years since 9/11. Government has therefore been a key driver of the market, across a wide range of sectors and applications. But…
“Nothing succeeds like excess,” Oscar Wilde wrote, and it’s a lesson Apple has taken to heart. The company has unveiled its newest iPhones, and one of them is the biggest smartphone (some would say “phablet”) that Apple has ever produced. First things first, though: The standard new iPhone is the iPhone Xs. No one was…
“…IDEMIA emphasized that its 3D Face system is aimed primarily at smartphones, but also offers ‘the potential for future uses: tomorrow, it could be incorporated into vehicle technology, for example, and recognize each car’s owner — or even identify abnormal behavior such as the driver falling asleep at the wheel.’” Seeking to take advantage of…
“…while fingerprint authentication is supported, too, with Apple widely expected to make Face ID the standard biometric security system of its forthcoming devices, it’s a timely move on CareCredit’s part.” CareCredit, the provider of a credit card tailored for healthcare and wellness spending, is taking advantage of biometric security in its mobile app. The upgraded…
It looks like Google is preparing to bring a Face Unlock system to future devices running on its Chrome OS. The revelation comes by way of some newly added code in Chrome’s back-end. While the clues offered in code snippets can sometimes be a bit ambiguous, this sample seems pretty clear, with its key line…
“Overall, iPhone shipments are expected to reach 70-75 million units by the end of the year, forecasting a resurgence of popularity not seen since the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.” With this autumn’s anticipated new iPhone launches fast approaching, details about the products – and their market expectations – are getting…
Various industry reports suggest that Apple is going all-in on facial recognition, but a newly published patent filing suggests that the company hasn’t entirely given up on fingerprint recognition. Essentially, the patent outlines a system that would use one or more light sources to image a user’s fingerprint. Because the light sources would clarify the…
A new Apple patent suggests the company is considering the idea of letting users put their passports into their virtual Apple wallets. As AppleInsider reports, the patent was filed on March 30th, and describes a system in which an electronic device could import credential data from an official piece of ID such as a passport…
Evidence that Apple is planning to bring Face ID to its new smartphones this year continues to mount, this time thanks to a quarterly update from VCSEL supplier Lumentum. As a provider of vertical cavity surface emitting laser technology, Lumentum is a key supplier for Apple’s flagship facial recognition system, which is designed to create…
A newly published Apple patent suggests the company has been exploring the possibility of using facial recognition for user identification on its Mac computers for a couple of years now. First filed in Q3 of 2016, the patent is primarily concerned with the creation of a depth map through a Mac’s embedded camera that could…
There’s now more evidence that Apple is planning to bring its Face ID authentication system to the next version of the iPad. The latest clue, like the last one, comes by way of a beta version of iOS 12, Apple’s mobile operating system. As 9to5Mac reports, someone has discovered an icon in iOS 12 that…
“… one supplier involved in the VCSEL laser technology needed for Face ID, Win Semiconductors, posted revenues of about $149.47 million for Q2 of 2018, a 19.71 percent year-over-year increase.” A new industry report offers further evidence that Apple is planning to bring its 3D facial recognition system to all of its new iPhones and…
Researchers with the University of Western Australia have developed a new 3D facial recognition model that is now available on an open basis to other researchers. Called FR3DNet, the model was trained on 3.1 million 3D scans of over 100,000 individuals. Now, given images depicting a range of positions, expressions, and so on, the system…
One of Apple’s key components suppliers is getting ready to open a new production facility. In a statement announcing its upcoming factory opening, Texas-based Finisar explained that the 3D Sensing Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser technology to be produced by the facility is “used in a wide range of applications.” But the highest-profile of these…
Apple has been granted a registered trademark for its Face ID facial recognition system. It’s a symbolic development for Apple’s trailblazing authentication system. Since launching its infrared, 3D face scanning system with the iPhone X last autumn, Apple has shown every indication that it’s going to keep using this technology in future devices, with many…
With its upcoming annual update to its Safari browser, Apple is aiming to markedly improve security through the integration of a built-in password manager that will be paired with biometric security when used on an iPhone or iPad, according to a Computerworld report. The functionality comes by way of a new API that will allow…
“The move comes soon after JCB enabled Google Pay in its home country, reflecting the company’s growing interest in novel payment technologies.” Japanese credit card company JCB is now supporting Apple Pay in Taiwan, the company has announced. JCB’s support in Taiwan comes in partnership with E.SUN Bank and Union Bank of Taiwan, with Taiwan…
Apple Pay has made it to Norway, launching in the country with the support of Nordea Bank, Santander Bank and Sbanken. The banks are allowing customers to upload their Mastercard, Visa, and debit cards to Apple’s biometrically secured mobile payments platform. Meanwhile, Danish merchant acquirer Clearhaus says it’s extending Apple Pay support across Norway-based online merchants.…