Apple introduced Face ID, a facial recognition system that leverages biometric authentication, in September 2017 as a novel way for iPhone X users to unlock their then cutting-edge smartphones just by looking at them. While that feature has yet to show up in Macs, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman commented in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter that Face ID will likely make its way onto Apple’s computer lineup “within a couple of years.” Apple is reportedly keen on the idea because Face ID and the facial recognition sensor that it requires would allow the company to push both its security and augmented reality initiatives, unlike Touch ID, which only grants the former. Gurman also suggests that the cameras will eventually be embedded into the screens, allowing Apple to sell devices without any sort of notch for improved aesthetics.
[…] It won’t happen this year, but I’d bet Face ID on the Mac is coming within a couple of years. I expect all iPhones and iPads to transition to Face ID within that timeframe, too. Eventually, a camera embedded in the screen would help differentiate Apple’s pricier devices by eliminating the notch at the top. The facial recognition sensor gives Apple two central features: security and augmented reality. Touch ID, more convenient or not, only provides the former.