Apple’s newest update to the iPhone enables people to unlock their smartphone without taking off a Covid-19 face mask.
The change to the “Face ID” feature is expected to work on iPhones and iPads and is likely to be included in iOS 15.4, the latest update from Apple that is expected to be released in the first half of March.
The new software is also expected to debut a brand-new feature called “Universal Control,” that allows consumers to use a single keyboard and trackpad across multiple iPad tablets and Mac computers.
Apple’s three dimensional (3D) facial recognition system was launched in 2017 as a feature of the iPhone X. But it became problematic as Covid-19 swept around the world and mask wearers were forced to remove their coverings to unlock their iPhones with their face.
A temporary solution came last year when a software update allowed Apple Watch users to access their phones even when wearing a mask or sunglasses.
Also expected with the March software update is the unveiling of a new low-cost iPhone and an updated iPad, according to comments from Apple.
Later this year (likely in the fall) Apple is expected to release new iMac and Mac Pro desktop computers, a redesigned MacBook Air laptop computer, three new Apple Watches, the iPhone 14, and a new AirPod headset.
