Nov. 1 All Biometric Authentication Must Include Face Unlock

[ricflairwoo2]

https://chromeunboxed.com/pixel-4-xl-reasons-to-buy/

Lack of a fingerprint reader was a concern as well. With many of the apps I use leveraging this form of biometric authentication, I thought it would be months before Android app developers actually got around to adding face unlock since there’s only one Android phone on the market with it. Google surprised me here, too, and said that as of Nov. 1 all app that utilize biometric authentication must include face unlock in their next update. So that won’t be a concern for long either.

Google laying down the law.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

I hope the upgrades don't take too long then.

 

[Mooncatt]

I still don't plan to register my face on any device with that option.

 

[benj0219]

Sounds perfect. Link to more information? I couldn't verify the information anywhere.

 

[beaner b]

So when B of A or Starbucks don't include it in their next update, what's google gonna do?

 

[Lobwedgephil]

Hopefully this is a big push for more support, which is badly needed. But it is very easy for developers to get around this without adding support.

 

[benj0219]

So when B of A or Starbucks don't include it in their next update, what's google gonna do?

Exactly...

 

[strikeIII]

Guess what, it's November 3rd and I've gotten plenty of updates since the 1st from big name apps with no Face Unlock support. Hope it starts to ramp up soon.

 

[ricflairwoo2]

Guess what, it's November 3rd and I've gotten plenty of updates since the 1st from big name apps with no Face Unlock support. Hope it starts to ramp up soon.

Not sure what apps you are referencing. I checked all of my credit card (Citibank, Chase, USAA) apps and banking app that used the fingerprint reader which equates to 4 total. None of them have been updated since either 20 September or 12 October. I think the updates will roll out together in the next few weeks.

 

[PaulQ]

Not sure what apps you are referencing. I checked all of my credit card (Citibank, Chase, USAA) apps and banking app that used the fingerprint reader which equates to 4 total. None of them have been updated since either 20 September or 12 October. I think the updates will roll out together in the next few weeks.

Citi app has had face unlock since soon after the Pixel 4 release. It's a little odd because it tells you to use your fingerprint even though it scans your face but it works.

 

[cert15z]

Citi app has had face unlock since soon after the Pixel 4 release. It's a little odd because it tells you to use your fingerprint even though it scans your face but it works.

I just tried it. Works great, but it does say fingerprint.

 

[Lepa79]

Google is losing its way. Android has always been about OPTIONS, not forcing users or app developers to do it "My way or the Highway". They should have kept fingerprint scanning and added face unlock. Not take that away and force everyone else to face unlock.

 

[Jeremy8000]

Google is losing its way. Android has always been about OPTIONS, not forcing users or app developers to do it "My way or the Highway". They should have kept fingerprint scanning and added face unlock. Not take that away and force everyone else to face unlock.

I think you're mixing up Google's hardware and software decisions. Android IS still about options - and in this case, about adding the option for users for face unlock which provides more options, not less. FPS support isn't in any way being removed from Android, though the specific OEM hardware of the Pixel doesn't include it (much to my and many others' disappointment).

As to the developers, Google has always had a catalog of evolving rules and mandates concerning apps that developers must meet to allow publication on Play Store, so this is nothing new in that sense.

 

[mustang7757]

I think you're mixing up Google's hardware and software decisions. Android IS still about options - and in this case, about adding the option for users for face unlock which provides more options, not less. FPS support isn't in any way being removed from Android, though the specific OEM hardware of the Pixel doesn't include it (much to my and many others' disappointment).

As to the developers, Google has always had a catalog of evolving rules and mandates concerning apps that developers must meet to allow publication on Play Store, so this is nothing new in that sense.

I think he really has it in for Google this year lol

 

[Jeremy8000]

I think he really has it in for Google this year lol

I think I'm scheduled to board the bashing train in either 2023 or 2024, but can't find the email with the reservation details. Meanwhile I'll just go with what my opinion tells me instead of everyone else's.

 

[bhatech]

I think you're mixing up Google's hardware and software decisions. Android IS still about options - and in this case, about adding the option for users for face unlock which provides more options, not less. FPS support isn't in any way being removed from Android, though the specific OEM hardware of the Pixel doesn't include it (much to my and many others' disappointment).

As to the developers, Google has always had a catalog of evolving rules and mandates concerning apps that developers must meet to allow publication on Play Store, so this is nothing new in that sense.

Well said, I was puzzled by the removing options part in Android. All they are doing is streamlining the API so that irrespective of what biometric authentication you have fingerprint or face or both, it'll work. What biometric are present depends on the hardware but they want to make sure apps are developed against the biometric API so that the actual hardware is abstracted from the app.

 

[davidnc]

https://chromeunboxed.com/pixel-4-xl-reasons-to-buy/

Lack of a fingerprint reader was a concern as well. With many of the apps I use leveraging this form of biometric authentication, I thought it would be months before Android app developers actually got around to adding face unlock since there’s only one Android phone on the market with it. Google surprised me here, too, and said that as of Nov. 1 all app that utilize biometric authentication must include face unlock in their next update. So that won’t be a concern for long either.

Google laying down the law.

Yeah I heard that as well. That's great news

 

[ricflairwoo2]

Citi app has had face unlock since soon after the Pixel 4 release. It's a little odd because it tells you to use your fingerprint even though it scans your face but it works.

I don't have a normal Citi card. It's for government travel use only. The app and services are completely different.

 

[sulla1965]

I believe I read Chase will accept face unlock 4 sometime in 4th quarter 2019

 

[LeoRex]

Google is losing its way. Android has always been about OPTIONS, not forcing users or app developers to do it "My way or the Highway". They should have kept fingerprint scanning and added face unlock. Not take that away and force everyone else to face unlock.

That's not what is happening. They've deprecated the old API that print sensors used, replacing it with a far more robust API that eliminates a lot of the development effort to implement. It INCLUDES finger print scanning along with face unlock (and other biometrics based systems)....

So they are replacing a limited, difficult to use and develop API with one that is flexible, standardized and extremely easy to implement.

There is zero downside here... None.