Due to COVID-19 mitigation, many people are wearing face masks in public, but Apple’s Face ID iPhones do not unlock when the face is obscured by a mask. In response, Apple’s iOS 13.5 beta makes unlocking an iPhone with passcode easier when wearing a face mask.
Apple iPhone’s Face ID facial recognition isn’t made for use with masks, which the CDC now recommends we all wear in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. “Face ID is designed to work with your eyes, nose and mouth visible,” an Apple spokeswoman said earlier this month.
In the iOS 13.5 beta, released this morning, Apple has streamlined the speed with which the passcode pops up when a person wearing a mask is detected, making it easier to get into an iPhone with a passcode when Face ID fails.
Speedier access to the passcode interface is noticeable when you swipe upwards on the Home screen when unlocking the iPhone, as this action now immediately brings up the passcode interface if your face is covered by a mask.
MacDailyNews Take: Excellent move as usual by Apple to make things easier for the user! Now there’s one less reason not to wear a mask in public while COVID-19 lurks sans vaccine.