Pixel 6 line could unlock using both your face and fingerprints

According to sources cited by 9to5Google, those Pixel 6 Pro holders who have been hoping for an update containing a Face unlock feature, should not give up. Back in April, we told you how the Sony IMX 663 imaging sensor found in the Pixel 6 Pro (but not the cheaper Pixel 6) supports dual-pixel autofocus (DPAF) which could allow the camera to create depth maps used to securely confirm a face.

No update containing such a thing has been pushed out by Google reportedly due to concerns about how much battery this setup would eat, and how accurate it would be. 9to5Google also found in Android 12 QPR3 (the beta program for the quarterly Pixel feature drop) that to help power Face unlock, CPU performance would be boosted for one second when the facial recognition system was in use.

But even with the improvements to the under-display fingerprint sensor found in Android 13, it appears that Google has another idea that could bring Face unlock to both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. It would use a combination of facial recognition and the current under-display fingerprint sensor. Here is how it would work: when a face is partially recognized by the Face unlock system, it would lower the requirements needed to have a fingerprint match by a large degree.

Using both the fingerprint scanner and the front-facing camera would mean that no additional hardware would be needed. If Google is happy with the results of the testing, this method could be used not only on both Pixel 6 series phones, but could also be used on the Pixel 6a and other mid-range "a" series Pixel phones as well. It also would reduce Google's fear of premature battery drain. Still, while it remains unclear whether this or any implementation of Face unlock Pixel 6 line will ever have any type of facial recognition feature, Google is said to be working on Face unlock for at least the Pixel 7 line.