Many iPhone and iPad models let you unlock your device with your face using Face ID, but on a Mac, you still need to type in your password, set up your Apple Watch to auto unlock your Mac, or, depending on what model of Mac you have, use your fingerprint with Touch ID. But code reportedly discovered in the latest beta of macOS Big Sur by 9to5Mac suggests that Face ID could be coming to Macs at some point in the future, too.
The code in the beta apparently references Apple’s codename for the TrueDepth camera, according to 9to5Mac. The TrueDepth camera is what enables Face ID in Face ID-capable devices like the iPhone 11 and the iPad Pro, but no Macs currently available have one. The code reportedly also has snippets mentioning the terms “FaceDetect” and “BioCapture,” which seems to point to biometric facial recognition of some kind.
If the facial recognition technology does make its way to Macs, it seems possible it could be used for unlocking your device and with augmented reality apps that map your face. (Perhaps the new Zoom trend will become fun Zoom masks instead of Zoom backgrounds.) And Face ID on the Mac could come in handy if you’re using the next version of Safari, which is set to ship with iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur, as that new version will let you log in to websites without a password just by using Touch ID or Face ID, as long as websites support the feature.
However, it’s unclear which Macs might be getting Face ID, or when they might get it, if they do at all, so we’ll just have to wait and see if Apple eventually brings the technology to its computers.
