Update – Apple has since refuted the rumors and have denied the claims in Bloomberg’s reports.
One of the big and key features of the iPhone X is Face ID. It represents a daring move on Apple’s part to remove Touch ID from the iPhone and replace it completely with a facial recognition system, and safe to say it is a make or break moment for Apple, which is why this report from Bloomberg has us scratching our heads.
It seems that in a bid to speed up production and to get the iPhone X out on time, or as early as possible, Apple has reportedly told their suppliers that they can reduce Face ID’s accuracy by a bit. Given how strict Apple is with their suppliers meeting certain standards and yields, it is surprising to learn that the company could be compromising on one of its most important features.
However at the same time we suppose it is understandable, given that there have been reports to suggest that Face ID and the TrueDepth camera system is one of the reasons why the iPhone X is facing production delays. According to one of Bloomberg’s sources, “To boost the number of usable dot projectors and accelerate production, Apple relaxed some of the specifications for Face ID”.
It is unclear how this will affect the final unit, and whether or not it will be noticed by customers. So far during the hands-on preview of the iPhone X, many reviewers were left impressed by Face ID’s demonstration, so hopefully Apple’s decision will not end up hurting the iPhone X’s launch, but we’ll have to wait until the 3rd of November to find out.