In a big upgrade, Face Unlock on the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro can authorize Google Pay NFC transactions, banking, and other app sign-ins.
The only use of Face Unlock on the Pixel 7 is to unlock your device, with the company staying mum about how it works. Payments, banking apps, and other sign-ins require a fingerprint. If you unlocked via face and tried using tap-to-pay, it would request your finger or PIN code.
Google credits Tensor G3 and advanced machine learning algorithms as making this generation’s upgrade possible. (Notably, the Pixel 8 Pro’s front-facing camera supports autofocus, but the Pixel 8 doesn’t.)
In comparison, the Pixel 4, as well as Face ID on the iPhone, works using dedicated hardware, like a dot projector, flood illuminator, and IR camera(s). Google’s ability to use a standard camera – which supports dual-pixel autofocus (DPAF) that can generate a depth map useful for capturing the contours of your face – and ML is notable.
Of course, it remains to be seen how secure and accurate it is or if the Pixel 8 will have a penchant for prompting you to use the fingerprint scanner since there’s no change to this Face Unlock system not working in low-light conditions.
However, from what we’ve seen, the company is putting face and fingerprint unlock methods side-by-side in terms of quality. Google says that Face Unlock on the Pixel 8 meets the “highest Android biometric standard,” which should be Class 3 (formerly Strong).
The company notes how Pixel 8 Face Unlock integrates with the “latest BiometricPrompt API for app sign-in and payments, which the majority of app developers have upgraded to in the last several years” in what should be an improvement from the original Pixel 4 launch.
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