Above - the TrueDepth camera kit on the iPhone X. Below - the 3D-sensing face unlock setup on the Oppo Find X
Apple's Face ID tech on the iPhone X relies on four components - structured light transmitter and receiver, a front-facing camera, and a time of flight/proximity sensor. These sensors and cameras are all clustered in the "notch" at the top bezel. The structured light ones collect depth information which is combined with images taken with the front-facing camera to produce a 3D map of your face using software algorithms. Apple uses the TrueDepth setup for Animoji and Memoji, too, as well as for, say, authorizing mobile payments.
The iPhone X hit initial production snags precisely on account of the fact that one of the component suppliers couldn't churn out sensors fast enough to satisfy the quality control. Apple has since doubled down on the 3D-mapping Face ID technology, investing $390 million in Finisar, a US maker of said depth-mapping sensors. The tech is no longer exclusive to the iPhone X, as Xiaomi's Mi 8 SE and Oppo's Find X are also using 3D-sensing kits for unlocking their phones, but Apple fans argue that its execution is arguably smoother.
Still, Face ID, Animoji, Memoji and facial scanning mobile payment authorization are features that Apple all of a sudden decided will be the future of mobile biometry, resulting in a notch-y design compromise that was quickly replicated across the Android universe. This is why we wanted to ask you, on the eve of unveiling a trio of 2018 iPhones that will all have a TrueDepth camera setup, if you are using the current one on your iPhone X on a regular basis.
Are you using the TrueDepth camera kit on your iPhone X?
Yes, for Face ID unlocking and/or mobile payment authorization
Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.
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