Apple announced the first developer beta of iOS 15.4 yesterday, which includes several important new features. The ability to utilise Face ID to unlock your iPhone while wearing a mask, without the need for an Apple Watch, is maybe the most significant.
Another notable innovation is the ability to authenticate Apple Pay transactions while wearing a mask for the first time.
Apple provided the option for users wearing masks to unlock their iPhone when wearing an Apple Watch with the introduction of iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4 last year, removing the need to input a passcode instead. While “Unlock with Apple Watch” allows users to unlock their smartphone while wearing a mask, other Face ID-reliant functions, including as Apple Pay and in-app verification, do not work.
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When iOS 15.4 is published to the public, users will be able to make Apple Pay transactions and utilise Face ID within applications while wearing a face covering. However, Apple warns that using Face ID with a mask is less secure, and that the biometric authentication system is still “most accurate” when used with full-face recognition.
According to Apple, to enable Face ID while wearing a mask, an iPhone “can distinguish the distinctive characteristics surrounding the eye area to authenticate.” The functionality is only available in the initial beta for iPhone 12 and later, so users of previous iPhone models will be out of luck. In addition to Face ID with a mask, Apple has also added the ability to configure Face ID while wearing glasses.
iOS and iPadOS 15.4 are expected to be released later this Spring and will contain new emojis, an Apple Card widget, Universal Control, and other features. With this roundup, you can see everything new in the first beta.