Apple might soon offer Face ID repairs without replacing the entire iPhone

Source: Apple

If you want to get your iPhone XS (or newer iPhone) repaired because of a Face ID issue in the future, it might not mean your device will get entirely replaced. The company will reportedly give Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers access to a new TrueDepth Camera service part that includes the Face ID and front-camera modules. This will allow them to perform same-unit repairs on your smartphone with Face ID troubles.

As described in an internal memo provided to MacRumors, the move is meant to reduce the carbon footprint of Apple's products by lessening the number of whole-unit repairs. It also means you don't have to set up a new iPhone because of some Face ID trouble, or it could cost less, but the memo didn't mention pricing. It isn't known when this repair process will be offered, but Apple told its technicians they will receive training and documentation at a later date.

Are you waiting for Face ID on the Mac?

Face ID might be making its way to more Apple devices in the future. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman wrote in his Power On newsletter this Sunday that Apple might be ready to bring Face ID to the Mac within a "couple of years," with products like the iPhone SE and non-Pro iPads getting the feature as well. Apple hasn't introduced the feature to these models right now to cut costs while offering security via Touch ID.

Gurman believes Apple might also shift from a notch to punch-hole design for its iPhones. According to Gurman, moving to use facial recognition sensors will give Apple "two central features: security and augmented reality." He noted that Touch ID could only provide the former. Have you been waiting for Touch ID to make its way to the Mac and your other Apple devices?

Source: 9to5Mac

You might soon be able to sign onto iCloud using Face ID and Touch ID

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It looks like Apple is trying out new ways for users to sign onto iCloud.com. Apple users who have the beta versions of iOS 13, iPadOS 13, and macOS Catalina can use Face ID or Touch ID to sign in. Beta users who visit beta.icloud.com or beta-equipped devices will get asked via a popup if they want to sign using either one of those systems. They won’t need two-factor authentication after. This move makes sense as these methods are already being used to unlock devices and make purchases with Apple Pay. And if it’s secure enough for those, it should be secure enough for iCloud.

Source: The Verge

Face ID doesn’t seem to work for approving family purchases on the iPhone X

Review: Apple iPhone X

If you thought it would be easier to approve family purchases on the iPhone X, you have another thing coming. As seen on Apple’s forums, people can’t seem to figure out how to use Face ID to approve family purchases. Users would need to manually enter password for it to work. In case you aren’t familiar, Apple has an Ask to Buy feature to help parents control what their children buy on their iOS devices. Before Touch ID worked but it seems to no longer be the case with iPhone X. Face ID works to authenticate a user when they make a purchase, but it doesn’t seem to work for this instance. Perhaps it’s a fail-safe to prevent kids who can dupe the phone’s facial recognition software and have them go to town with app-related purchases.

Source: The Verge