If the details of several new Apple patents are any indication, newer models of the iPhone may implement both Touch ID and Face ID.
Looking to step up the security of their smartphones, Apple implemented the fingerprint recognition technology known as Touch ID into their iPhones and iPads. It was/is an effective security feature, but one that has since been replaced with Apple’s new Face ID with the release of the iPhone X.
Face ID may be a cutting-edge facial recognition feature, but futuristic comes at a cost: lowered effectiveness. Face ID is mostly effective, but there are still times when users’ faces are not recognized by their device. That’s where the possible implementation of both Face ID and Touch ID comes in.
Should your Face ID be giving you trouble, new iPhones may offer the use of Touch ID as a backup. This would definitely be a nice quality of life implementation as Apple works of maximizing the effectiveness of Face ID and improving its functionality. However, the waters get muddy here, as the details of this possible setup in the patent indicate that this would only work for apps, not for unlocking the phone itself.
Until Apple themselves sheds light on what they plan to do next with their newest iPhone models, this is all just speculation.
