There are several ways to unlock and secure your mobile phone. When it comes to the iPhone, the fingerprint scanner is one of the most popular options available. However, this method has its limitations, which is why Apple has been considering facial recognition for more than a year now.

This feature would not only be convenient but also more secure than the fingerprint scanner, possibly overshadowing it. The Apple facial scanner would be able to scan a face from a distance using a depth sensor, making it faster and safer to unlock the phone rather than using the fingerprint scanner, a pattern, or a number code.

3D face recognition unlocking is likely to be included in the next iPhone https://t.co/1vWHB0AGgV pic.twitter.com/fLGBSYYIr6

— Charles Arthur (@charlesarthur) July 4, 2017

Apple is apparently testing out frontal 3D facial scanning, retinal scanning, and depth recognition. They are also focusing on a high level of speed and comprehensive accuracy with the new technology. The aim is to give the iPhone owner the ability to unlock the device, within a few milliseconds at the most, just by glancing at it. It could even work if the phone is lying flat on a table.

The security of the face recognition feature would not only exceed that of the Touch ID sensor, but also the iris scanner found on the Samsung Galaxy S8. Upon release of the Galaxy S8, hackers were able to unlock the phone with an easy-to-execute tactic that involved holding a photo image of the iris in front of the phone’s sensor. Sensing depth, the 3D feature on the new iPhone would be able to collect more biometric data to reduce the possibility of being deceived by a photo. 

An added bonus of the new feature is that your face will not only be able to unlock your phone, but also make payments, launch apps, log into social media accounts, and much more. It is not clear if the 3D scanner will replace the Touch ID as Apple’s representatives have yet to respond to the rumor.