Owners of the OnePlus 5 smartphone can now unlock their devices with facial recognition.
The feature arrives via a software update for OxygenOS Open Beta 3, an operating system based on Android Oreo; and it comes after the OnePlus 5T device launched with facial recognition built in as an authentication option. It was a clear response to the excitement over Apple’s Face ID system, which made its debut on autumn’s new iPhone X device, and appears to have prompted a new wave of enthusiasm over facial recognition in the mobile sector.
Of course, not everyone (read: not anyone) can compete with the sophistication of Face ID right out of the gate. Apple has claimed that, for most users, its authentication system is accurate to one in a million, a significant step up from the capabilities of its pioneering Touch ID fingerprint recognition system; and while Huawei has previewed a similar system that could prove to be even more reliable than Face ID, it isn’t clear when that technology will be ready for market. For its part, as The Verge reports, OnePlus’s Face Unlock system is not as secure as a fingerprint scan, and thus can’t be used for payment authorization.
Still, a number of users will likely appreciate the convenience of the feature, and with OnePlus reportedly working on an in-display fingerprint sensor for the forthcoming OnePlus 6, it seems like the company is committed to advancing its biometric security technologies going forward, with Face Unlock being just a small step in a longer journey.
Source: The Verge
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