We've long expected Apple to offer Face ID for Mac models, just as it does for the iPhone and iPad Pro. Bloomberg's report on an upcoming higher-end MacBook Air has a mix of good and bad news on this front.
- Apple is poised to bring its Face ID facial recognition system to the iPad in the coming weeks, so it makes sense that it will eventually bring it to the MacBook Pro range, too. And now thanks to a.
- Apple's plans to bring Face ID authentication to the Mac this year have been delayed, according to a recent report. Face ID debuted in 2017's iPhone X and has been a key feature of Apple's flagship.
Apple brought Touch ID to the Mac but hasn't yet brought Face ID even though the company has been offering it in the iPhone since the release of the iPhone X. Judging by the patent, which doesn't.
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Another feature some have long wanted for MacBooks is the ability to connect to mobile data directly when Wi-Fi isn't available. The report says the position is the same for both features: They are coming, but not soon …
Apple has also developed underlying Mac support for both cellular connectivity — the ability for Macs to connect to the internet via smartphone networks — and Face ID, the company's facial recognition system. But neither feature appears to be coming soon.
‘Soon' in this context likely means this year.
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It goes on to say that Apple has actually delayed Face ID for the iMac.
Face ID had originally been planned to arrive in this year's iMac redesign, but it's now unlikely to be included in the first iteration of the new design.
Apple has multiple references to Face ID for Macs in various patents, going back several years.
One potential challenge in bringing Face ID to MacBooks is the depth needed for the dot projector. Both iPhone and iPad have a lot more depth to play with than a MacBook lid. But it's unclear why that would pose a problem for the iMac unless the company plans to reduce the bezel size to a point where the height also becomes an issue; a notch is not really an option for a Mac screen.
One thing that may help is that Apple has reportedly been able to combine the dot-projector and infrared camera into a single unit. This is expected to reduce the width of the notch in this year's iPhone lineup, and could perhaps allow Apple to fit the unit into a corner of the display, where component height is not a problem.
As for mobile data support, that likely has more niche appeal. Although some of us would like it for the convenience, many are happy to tether to their iPhone, especially since Apple made it a much more seamless experience, simply selecting it from the Wi-Fi menu-bar icon without the need to do anything at the iPhone end.
Any mobile data support now would of course have to include 5G, and the components for that still remain relatively expensive, so it's not surprising to me that Apple is holding fire on that for now.
Concept image: Blagovest Dimitrov
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A recent report said that Apple will launch the AirPods 2 this spring, and that the new wireless headphones will be more expensive than their predecessors. The report detailed the upcoming AirPower wireless charger as well, also set for a spring release, and offered an unexpected tidbit about the Mac line. Apparently, Apple is testing Macs with Face ID and touchscreen displays, although it's unclear when these devices will launch, if ever.
After bringing Face ID to the iPad last year, Apple is expected to do the same thing with the Mac line down the road. Face ID would certainly be a better unlock mechanism for laptops and desktops than passwords or fingerprints. As for touchscreen displays, Apple said quite a few times that it has no intention of bringing touch support to macOS laptops and desktops.
On the other hand, we do know from Apple that future versions of macOS should be able to run iOS apps from the App Store. Those iPhone apps were created with a touch interface in mind, so maybe it shouldn't be so surprising to hear that Apple is testing touchscreen Macs.
That said, MySmartPrice buried this gem at the end of an extensive report about the AirPods 2 and AirPower:
In addition to the new AirPods 2, Apple is currently testing Macs with Face ID as well as touchscreen displays. However, you shouldn't expect a new Mac with Face ID to launch anytime soon. The current prototypes with Face ID and touchscreen are only meant for internal testing.
That's all the report said, but all the information in it came from a trusted source familiar with Apple's plans. That source said the AirPods 2 will have the same design as their predecessors, but they will come in black and white, complete with a new coating for improved grip. Furthermore, the report said the new AirPods will have more sensors on board, likely packing health-related features. Finally, the new AirPods will have the same battery life, but the wireless case will feature a smaller battery than before. AirPods 2, the source said, will cost around $200.
The report also noted that the AirPower wireless universal charger will cost $150 and that it'll be slightly thicker than initially expected, because of its 8-7-7 coil configuration. The accessory will deliver 'exclusive features' that were not detailed, in addition to wireless charging, but they'll require iOS 13 or later. Finally, TV commercials are being filmed for the new product.
As you can see, this trusted source provided plenty of information about two upcoming Apple products, including details that weren't part of previous leaks. If all this pans out, then it might mean that Apple is indeed working on Macs with support for Face ID and Macs with touchscreen displays. Then again, Apple keeps testing and inventing plenty of technologies that do not make it into commercial products — just look at the large number of patents that Apple receives every year.
Other Mac-related rumors did say that Apple is working on ARM-powered Macs that would pack A-series chips instead of Intel processors. So Apple is indeed looking at various innovations for the Mac. That said, it's unclear at this time which Mac models will see updates this year, and whether any significant changes are in store for existing Mac and MacBook lines, other than the expected processor updates.