Back in April, 9to5Google reported that the Pixel 6 Pro might receive Face Unlock and reported in detail on the ongoing development of the feature. Now, Android 13 QPR1 has finally revealed the mystery of the final Pixel Face Unlock experience. It should be noted, however, that even if the new version of the App uploaded to the Play Store by Google is decompiled, it does not mean that the relevant features are necessary, or soon, available in the official version.
(via 9to5Google)
With the release of Android 13 QPR1 Beta 1, we’ve seen some interesting descriptions — for example, “Face Unlock works best when there’s plenty of light and the user isn’t wearing a mask or sunglasses”.
For users wearing regular glasses, Android 13’s Face Unlock feature won’t be a hindrance, it just needs to be entered during the initial setup phase.
"The requirement for a bright environment also more or less confirms that Google's latest solution is camera-based and doesn't require any additional hardware -- even though the company has experimented with a combination of infrared cameras, spot projectors and flood illuminators on the Pixel 4. Even though the company experimented with a combination of an infrared camera, a dot projector and a flood illuminator on the Pixel 4, as well as a micro radar (Soli Motion Sense) that accelerates the process."
Instead, the Pixel 6 Pro’s front-facing camera will support Dual Pixel Autofocus (DPAF)-generated face depth maps, and Google believes the Tensor chip will enable faster, more accurate, and more energy-efficient face recognition in a photographic environment.
DPAF also appears to be available on the Pixel 7 / 7 Pro smartphones. As for the smaller Pixel 6 models, it is likely that hardware limitations will prevent this feature from being available.
In addition, the animation above shows the new face recording process introduced in the Android 13 beta. The system asks the user to hold the phone at eye level to start the scanning process. The animation also shows a different facial animation than the Pixel 4.
In terms of accuracy, Google warns that the face unlocking scheme is not as secure as a strong PIN – for example, the phone could be unlocked by an unintentional glance (such as when the intention is just to check the lock screen), or by someone who looks similar.
Still, Face Unlock is a good complement to the “Lift and Shine” feature for everyday experiences, such as quickly switching between Alway-On Display modes and enabling face scanning.
Finally, the new code associated with Face Unlock is also called “Traffic Lighting”. For those interested, it can be found in the Android 13 QPR1 Beta 1 release for the Pixel 6 Pro.
If all goes well, PQR1 will reach the stable stage in December, while the expected release date for the Pixel 7 / 7 Pro is October, meaning the latter may experience Face Unlock later than the Pixel 6 Pro.
