Google will address Pixel 4’s face unlock with eye detection in the coming months
One of the features Google introduced to the Pixel 4 was face unlock, but unfortunately, despite reports of Google attempting to make it as robust as possible, it was discovered that it could be beaten even if the user’s eyes were closed. This is versus how Apple’s Face ID works, where the user’s eyes need to be open and looking into the camera.
This is to prevent instances where the phone can be held up to the user’s face and have their device unlocked even when in their sleep. If you thought that this was an odd security issue to have, you’ll be pleased to learn that Google has announced that they will be addressing the issue in the coming months.
This is according to a statement provided to The Verge in which Google says that they will be looking to introduce a new option via a software update, where users will be required to have their eyes open to unlock the phone. Unfortunately, it seems that this update won’t be arriving anytime soon as the company states it will be released in the next few months.
The company had previously remained non-committal on the issue where they said:
“We don’t have anything specific to announce regarding future features or timing, but like most of our products, this feature is designed to get better over time with future software updates.”
Perhaps given the backlash that they faced and the inevitable comparisons drawn against Face ID, it looks like they will be taking it a bit more seriously, which is good news for Pixel 4 owners. In the meantime, Pixel 4 owners should probably stick to more traditional methods of security, such as using a PIN or the pattern unlock.
Source: The Verge