Face ID took longer than Touch ID to unlock your iPhone, didn’t function when you glanced at your phone at an angle, took up a lot of space, and gave the iPhone a redesign that gave rise to the recognizable notch.

Face ID was not the only reason I sold my iPhone XS and iPhone XR in 2019 and switched to the Huawei P30 Pro, but it was also not a factor that would have persuaded me to continue using an iPhone from Apple’s 2018 lineup.

Naturally, I had some hesitations before placing my order for the iPhone 13 mini early this year. Although slow, the Pixel 6 Pro’s optical scanner also allowed me to unlock my phone even if it was on a table, unlike the outdated yet gold fingerprint sensor I was used to using on the iPhone 8.

But it turns out that Face ID has improved over time! It not only recognizes my face more quickly, but it also does so from more unusual angles. Additionally, the notch is now smaller (and entirely absent on the iPhone 14 Pro series), which gives the impression that less screen space is sacrificed in order to have this useful security feature.

Okay, not really… Apple’s face recognition technology still has some significant drawbacks that detract from the “it just works” quality that Tim Cook & Co. likes. And yet… What follows Face ID? Is the coming back of Touch ID? Or perhaps something entirely different? What do you know? Google may have the solution!

In reality, I believe that my willingness to use Face ID or even tolerate it is primarily a result of how much I value my iPhone 13 mini. This appreciation is partly a result of how small this phone is, which is what makes it so special to me.

Even though Apple made technical enhancements to Face ID, facial recognition technology is still far from ideal…

• If you are sporting headwear that completely encloses your face, including your eyes, Face ID will still not allow you to unlock your phone.
• Face ID does function with face masks, but it takes a lot longer to read your face (if it does at all)
• If your phone is on a desk, you still can’t unlock it because of the 3D unlocking system from Apple’s restricted angle range.
• If you’re moving quickly, like when you’re jogging outside or on a treadmill, it can be challenging to unlock your phone using Face ID.
• Even when Face ID fails to recognize your face, there is a delay before telling you to adjust your location, so you must enter your PIN (like a caveman!) as a result.

Face ID is the kind of “magical Apple innovation” I enjoy, when it works, I’ve realized. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always succeed. It’s not there, but it’s near.

What replaces Face ID on Apple’s iPhone if Touch ID isn’t coming back? Google is withholding the solution!

Right! What alternative do Apple and the other phone manufacturers have if Face ID isn’t flawless, speedy, and trustworthy enough to allow you to unlock your phone, make payments, etc.? What further choices do we—the users—have? Well, perhaps the term “ambient commuting” has something to do with the solution.

The phrase “ambient computing” refers to a broad concept that covers a set of intelligent gadgets, data, AI judgments, and human activity that enables computer actions alongside daily activities without requiring explicit human orders or involvement. In essence, computers discreetly handle business in the background.

However, it wasn’t until the middle of the 2010s that the expression really started to catch on. Even yet, it wasn’t until roughly 2018 that Google, HP, and other Silicon Valley firms started using it as a catchphrase on a regular basis.

The simplest approach to understanding ambient computing if you’re a phone enthusiast is to look at what Google is doing with Google Assistant, which is something we all use and adore.

The Google Assistant, at least among the consumer-accessible virtual assistants, began as Google Voice Search, evolved into Google Today (a less intelligent version of AI intelligence focused on predicting user behavior), and is now the most intelligent virtual assistant.

Because of this, Sundar Pichai and company launched a variety of Google Assistant-enabled products in 2016 including the Pixel Buds, Google Home, Nest Hub, and more in addition to the first Pixel phone.

These days, there are innumerable products that support Google Assistant. Most importantly, we now have a Google Pixel Watch with the assistant built in and a Pixel Tablet that focuses on morphing into a Google Nest Hub after you’re done using it, thanks to a smart docking solution, both of which are anticipated to ship in 2023. Aside from Google’s own hardware, practically every smart TV, pair of wireless earbuds, pair of headphones, smartwatch, car (thanks to Android Auto), and even lightbulb have Google Assistant built-in or are able to have it! Indeed, ambient computing.

The alternative to Face ID may be “No ID”; may an “Apple Ring” be the solution to phone security in the future?

Anyway, the reason I’m going through all of this Google talk is that Apple and Google are the two companies that have the hardware, software, and, most importantly, database to develop this Ambient Computing future. This future will allow our technology to collaborate in the background to make tasks like finding a song, a fun fact, or unlocking your phone as seamless as possible.

Another illustration of the power of ambient computing is Google’s Now Playing function, which constantly detects the music you are listening to and displays it on your lock screen.

Using Google Ring and Apple Ring to unlock your phone as part of Ambient Computing

Finding a way to let you unlock your phone and make secure purchases even when you aren’t wearing your smartwatch or when you aren’t at home, surrounded by other Apple or Google devices communicating with one another to grant you access to your phone based on location, would be the real challenge for Apple and Google (Android already does that).

I’ve given it some thought, and I can’t think of a single item that people wear or carry around that may serve as the focal point of this ambient computing phenomenon. Yes, some people always wear watches—even to bed—but others, like me, don’t. And although some people (like me) will have a Google Nest Hub or a Home Pod at home, others won’t.