Apple has been granted a registered trademark for its Face ID facial recognition system.

It’s a symbolic development for Apple’s trailblazing authentication system. Since launching its infrared, 3D face scanning system with the iPhone X last autumn, Apple has shown every indication that it’s going to keep using this technology in future devices, with many analysts anticipating its proliferation to new iPhones and even other devices like the iPad tablets. This course of action was likely to unfold with or without a registered trademark, but now that face scanning authentication systems are starting to catch on among Apple’s rivals, Apple gets to enjoy a special distinction by putting a little “™” next to Face ID when promoting its future products.

As Patently Apple reports, the US Patent and Trademark Office has categorized the system under “CLASS 9: Computer hardware and software for secure biometric authentication, and password management and protection for use on computers, handheld mobile digital electronic devices and mobile telephones.”

The news comes amid reports that Samsung, Apple’s arch-rival, is preparing its own Face ID rival for its forthcoming Galaxy S10 smartphone, which means the Korea-based company is going to be compelled to come up with its own catchy name for its face authentication system.

Source: Patently Apple