What you need to know
- Apple could bring Face ID to all iPhones, iPads, and even Macs within the next 'couple of years' according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
- Face ID is only available on iPad Pro and mid-range and above iPhones.
Apple ultimately wants to bring Face ID to all iPhones and iPads as well as its Mac lineup, according to a new report. Apple currently only offers Face ID on its mid-range and high-end iPhones as well as the iPad Pro lineup.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman via his Power On newsletter, Apple intends to bring Face ID to all devices once it's possible to do. It's thought that Apple's main reason for not doing so right now is the simple issue of cost and physics. Putting face ID into some devices would make them too costly, while displays like those of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are too thin for current Face ID technology.
That's likely to change in the future, however.
It won't happen this year, but I'd bet Face ID on the Mac is coming within a couple of years. I expect all iPhones and iPads to transition to Face ID within that timeframe, too. Eventually, a camera embedded in the screen would help differentiate Apple's pricier devices by eliminating the notch at the top. The facial recognition sensor gives Apple two central features: security and augmented reality. Touch ID, more convenient or not, only provides the former.
It's far too seen for any of this to make its way into this year's upcoming products and that's likely to be the case next year, too. But there's little doubt that Apple wants Face ID to be everywhere eventually, it just needs the time and the expertise needed to do it.
For now, all eyes are on this year's iPhone 13 launch. It's set to be similar to the outgoing iPhone 12 in many ways, although a new smaller notch and 120Hz screen are thought to be in the cards.
An imminent iPhone update also means you can find some great iPhone deals on some outgoing models, too.
