Apple Releases iOS 15.4 with Mask Support in Face ID

Apple has released iOS 15.4 today, which is a pretty big update. The main feature is the ability to unlock an iPhone with Face ID while wearing a mask on iPhone 12 or newer, which should be useful addition at a time when the world is still dealing with a global pandemic.

Mask support with FaceID will be supported on iPhone 12 or newer, and it will also work for using Apple Pay and password autofill in apps and Safari. Apple previously tried to make Face ID work better with masks by showing the user password prompt more quickly or by allowing Apple Watch users to automatically unlock their iPhones, but this new mask support in Face ID should make things much more seamless for everyone.

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Another COVID-19 related update in iOS 15.4 is the new support for EU Digital COVID certificates in the Apple Health app, which lets users store vaccine cards, lab results, and recovery records in the app. Moreover, COVID-19 vaccination cards in the Apple Wallet app now support the EU Digital COVID certificate format.

This latest iOS update also brings a more gender-neutral voice for Siri, which also gets the ability to provide the time and date while offline. Additionally, iOS 15.4 introduces This update also brings various new emoji to the mobile OS including biting Lip, heart hands, face with peeking eye, and more.

Apple has also released iPadOS 15.4 and macOS 12.3 today, and the main highlight is the new Universal Control feature that lets Mac users use their trackpad or mouse to control multiple Macs or iPads. This much-anticipated feature was supposed to be released last Fall, and it’s still being labeled as a beta.

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Conversation 15 comments

  • sherlockholmes

    Premium Member
    14 March, 2022 - 1:49 pm

    <p>Wow. Only two years for masks support. I think it was a really big computer science problem for Apple. </p>

    • nsemrau

      14 March, 2022 - 1:52 pm

      <p>Yeah, I’m glad Microsoft solved that computer science problem much quicker on their successful lineup of Windows Phon-oh …</p>

    • mattbg

      Premium Member
      14 March, 2022 - 4:00 pm

      <p>It could be worse. I waited 2 years for masked Face ID support only to find out that it won’t work on iPhone 11 because iPhone 12 is the cutoff :(</p>

      • feek

        Premium Member
        14 March, 2022 - 4:22 pm

        <p>what ! ah, shit</p>

      • behindmyscreen

        15 March, 2022 - 11:01 am

        <p>probably a hardware limitation.</p>

    • behindmyscreen

      15 March, 2022 - 11:01 am

      <p>I have been using faceID to unlock my phone for 2 years with a mask because I have an apple watch. This is nicer though since it lets me use FaceID throughout the system.</p>

    • SvenJ

      15 March, 2022 - 12:55 pm

      <p>You need to consider that FaceID with ‘mask support’ is inherently less secure than full FaceID. It likely is more difficult than one might expect if you don’t want the security compromised to the point that any pair of eyes will open the phone. I recall early efforts at face recognition on some devices needed no more than a decent photograph of the owner. </p>

  • irfaanwahid

    14 March, 2022 - 2:19 pm

    <p>Lol, just when our govt (Kenya) has announced Mask is no more a mandatory in public places. How I wish this was implemented few months earlier.</p>

  • mike2thel73

    14 March, 2022 - 3:20 pm

    <p>While I agree this took longer than it should have; better late than never. I almost didn’t buy an iPhone because of the mask issue with Face ID but googles poor implementation of the in glass reader on P6 devices had me run to Cupertino.</p><p><br></p><p>switching to Apple paid off in the end.</p>

  • arjay

    14 March, 2022 - 5:46 pm

    <p>The only place I wear a mask now is the doctor’s office, so I won’t be needing it.</p>

  • Truffles

    14 March, 2022 - 9:04 pm

    <p>May no longer be useful in the west, but people in asian countries will greatly value the feature.</p>

  • Donte

    15 March, 2022 - 5:34 am

    <p>We just ditched masks at work. In my county it was never mandatory and 2/3 or more never wore them. </p>

  • pecosbob04

    15 March, 2022 - 8:15 am

    <p>I wish I was as confident as most of you folk seem to be that the need to wear a mask is behind us.</p>

    • Donte

      15 March, 2022 - 9:50 am

      <p>I was just at the airport an hour ago. They are supposed to be mandatory. I roll in with my mask on and 3/4 of people do not have them on. Either completely missing or around their neck.</p>

      • behindmyscreen

        15 March, 2022 - 11:04 am

        <p>I noticed this even at the height of the pandemic (late 2020, early 2021). It’s definitely regional based on the political climate from where the airport authority staff come from.</p>

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