Apple Suffers Embarrassing Demo Glitch As Face ID Fail In Front Of Crowd

Earlier this evening Apple unveiled the brand new iPhone X (pronounced ten), commemorating the tenth anniversary of the device, but the launch didn't exactly go to plan.



Craig Federighi, Apple senior vice president, demonstrated the phone's features on stage, with one of the more intriguing being the FaceID. He explained that all he had to do to unlock the phone was look at it, but it forced him to enter a pass code to unlock the device...

WHOOPS. Still, as Tech Insider and more generally technologically-inclined folk have already pointed out, the phone had just restarted, which meant he'd have had to enter a code anyway.

If that's the case then it's neither Federighi nor the device's fault - just a small error by whoever set it up.

Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, had earlier taken to the stage to talk about the X, explaining the lack of home button, how you can 'wake' the phone, Siri's functions... and, of course, facial recognition.

[caption id="attachment_925" align="aligncenter" width="511"] Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, shows the new iPhone 8 at the Steve Jobs Theater on the new Apple campus on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, in Cupertino, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)[/caption]

He said: "With iPhone X, your iPhone is locked until you look at it, and it recognises you. Nothing has ever been more simple, natural and effortless. We call this Face ID. Face ID is the future of how we unlock our smartphones and protect our sensitive information."

However, his words quickly came back to haunt him, as it became apparent that a lot of things have 'been more simple'.

FaceID replaces TouchID, as the phone recognises your face using an infrared camera, even if you try to trick it with hats, scarves or other things obstructing your face. Schiller claims that the chance of FaceID getting it wrong is 'one in a million', sp it's much harder for anyone to unlock your phone.

[caption id="attachment_926" align="aligncenter" width="512"] (170912) -- CUPERTINO (U.S.), Sept. 12, 2017 (Xinhua) -- Phil Schiller, Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, introduces new iPhone X during a special event in Cupertino, California, the United States on Sept. 12, 2017. Apple Inc. released a series of new products and services in Cupertino on Tuesday. (Xinhua)[/caption]

The phone's 5.8 inch edge-to-edge screen, with OLED super-retina display, means there's no longer room for a home button. To perform tasks that previously needed the button, there are new ways to do so.

To wake the phone, for example, you can lift it or simply touch the screen. To unlock it, there is facial recognition, of course. To activate Siri you can either address it vocally, or press the side of the screen.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Twitter saw the funny side:

https://twitter.com/cindychantelles/status/907694307355893762

https://twitter.com/rhonlirob/status/907694611543584768

https://twitter.com/TheRandomeDud3/status/907673736005877760