An upcoming iOS release will make it easier to use your phone with a face mask.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to change the way we live and travel, Apple is planning to introduce a new feature that will work with face masks.
According to the iOS 13.5 beta, which is set to be released to the public in the coming weeks, Apple has worked to streamline the process of unlocking your phone when wearing a face mask, as its facial recognition service cannot verify you are the owner when they cannot see your lips or eyes properly.
Instead, Apple will bring up the passcode interface when it notices that a user is wearing a face mask, saving time and allowing you to get into your phone faster.
Before this update, iOS would try to identify you via Face ID even when wearing a mask, and then open up the passcode interface. This slows down the ability to get into your phone and causes unnecessary delays, and so the company’s new attempt to speed up the process will come as a welcome addition for many.
Apple typically beta tests iOS updates for two to three weeks before they enter into the hands of the public, but it could introduce the feature within the next couple of days as a separate iOS 13.4.X feature to appease user requests.
The company has made a number of changes in recent weeks to help reduce and slow the spread of the virus. As well as partnering with Google on a new contact-tracing app, the firm recently added testing sites to Apple Maps.
Are you happy to hear of this change? Let us know how you’re using your iPhone differently during the pandemic on Twitter and check back soon for more news.