Apple pushed out the first beta of iOS 14.5 on Monday with a slew of changes and improvements. However, one of the most notable and biggest changes is the way Face ID operates. Following the pandemic, users were left annoyed when it came to unlocking while wearing masks. The iPhone simply would refuse to unlock forcing you to type in the passcode.
Fret not, the new iOS beta update lets you unlock your device while wearing masks, provided you have an Apple Watch strapped onto your wrist. This option however has to be enabled after installing the beta. Just head to Settings > Face ID and Passcode. Upon successful unlock, the Apple watch will nudge you with haptic feedback so you are aware of the same. This feature rollout from Apple reminds us of the years-old Smart Lock on Android that allows users to unlock their devices when a paired accessory is nearby.
Keep in mind that for iTunes purchases and App Store installs, you will still need to remove your mask and authenticate with the Face ID system. This brings us to the good old and convenient Touch ID available on our iPhone SE 2020, which works flawlessly whether pandemic or not.
On that note, the SE 2020 is the only iPhone in the lineup to sport a fingerprint scanner in a sea of Face ID-equipped iPhones. Speaking of which, Apple is rumored to bring out a 2021 iPhone SE with the A14 chip and iPhone 11 chassis sometime in 2Q21. We’ll go into details about the same in another article.
Featured Image: Apple