Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Apple Explains Face ID On-stage Failure (bbc.com)

Posted by msmash on from the okay-then dept.

Apple has explained why its new facial recognition feature failed to unlock a handset at an on-stage demo (see around the 1:35:58 mark here) at the iPhone X's launch on Tuesday. From a report: The company blamed the Face ID glitch on a lockout mechanism triggered by staff members moving the device ahead of its unveil. Apple's software chief dealt with the hiccup by moving on to a back-up device, which worked as intended. But the hitch was widely reported. "People were handling the device for [the] stage demo ahead of time and didn't realise Face ID was trying to authenticate their face," an unnamed company representative is quoted as saying by Yahoo's David Pogue. "After failing a number of times, because they weren't Craig [Federighi], the iPhone did what it was designed to do, which was to require his passcode."

6 of 189 comments (clear)

  1. Re:and it didn't happen during rehearsal? by courteaudotbiz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I am pretty sure Bill Gates did a rehearsal before connecting a scanner to his W98 PC on the stage when he got a BSOD... Shit happens, and it sometimes happens with the worst timing possible.

  2. From the same company who lies repeatedly by JoeyRox · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Reception issues? You're holding it wrong
    You iPhone 6 display touchscreen stops working? You must have dropped it
    Video display on your Macbook flickering? Isolated, non-systemic incident

  3. Move your iPhone? by PPH · · Score: 5, Funny

    I didn't think you were supposed to remove it from its shrine. Just gaze at it with admiration. If it deems you worthy, it will unlock.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  4. Re:and it didn't happen during rehearsal? by jm007 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    here's another truth to consider.... companies won't tell the truth if it makes them look bad.... they spin it so it's somehow okay or at least insignificant; in this particular context of a 'big release event,' how much pressure do you think there is regarding truth vs perception?

  5. It just about works. by Hognoxious · · Score: 5, Funny

    I mean, who would ever move a mobile phone? Clearly this is an extreme corner[1] case that bears no resemblance to typical usage.

    [1] Rounded, of course.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  6. Accurate demo. by deep44 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Accurate demo of just how frustrating it will be to use this stupid feature.

    They obviously started with the idea of removing the home button, and worked backwards from there. Let's see: no home button means no fingerprint scanning ... couldn't go back to passcode-only because they already told everyone how bad that is ... iris scanning didn't pan out for whatever reason ... so ... facial recognition it is. Oh yeah, and swipe up to go home, because it hadn't dawned on anyone to try that before and turns out it's the best approach.