This is powered by a new 3-D sensor. The company is also testing eye scanning to augment the system, one of the people said.
The scan of the face and unlock of the phone takes a few hundred milliseconds, the report said. It is designed to work even if the device is laying flat on a table, rather than close up to the face.
While the feature is still being tested, Apple's aim is for it to replace the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. Apple believes the feature offers greater security, as it scans more data points than a fingerprint. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.
Samsung launched a similar feature on its latest flagship, the Galaxy S8, using an iris scanner to unlock the phone. However, the feature gathered poor reviews, as some users were able to trick the sensor with printed photo copies of a person’s eyes. Apple’s sensor has 3-D depth perception, which means the system is less likely to be duped by 2-D pictures.
