Today in Apple history: Face ID brings facial recognition to the masses
Apple's Face ID, introduced on the iPhone X, marked a turning point in consumer technology by making facial recognition a standard unlocking method for millions of everyday users.
Why this matters: Before Face ID, facial recognition was something governments and airports used. Apple put it in a billion pockets and normalized it fast. That matters because people who would never agree to a facial scan at a checkpoint handed their biometric data to a device they carry everywhere. Apple keeps Face ID on-device, which is better than most alternatives. But the real legacy is cultural: Apple made biometric authentication feel convenient and safe, which made it much easier for everyone else to ask for the same thing.
Who should care: Privacy officers · Cybersecurity · General readers · Policy
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