Apple’s 2019 iPhones Will Include Upgraded Face ID System, Ming-Chi Kuo Says

This year’s iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR may have just rolled out to the public, but there are already rumors swirling regarding Apple’s 2019 iPhones. The latest such rumor suggests that Apple will do the opposite of what Samsung is reportedly planning and add new features to its Face ID camera system.

In a research note cited and quoted by MacRumors earlier this week, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote that next year’s iPhones will benefit from the addition of a new flood illuminator for the Face ID system. This, Kuo said, will improve the iPhone’s facial recognition technology by reducing the effect of visible light from the environment. He added that the new feature will be included in all three iPhones Apple is planning to release in 2019 —two OLED phones and an LCD handset, much like this year’s models.

As explained by the Verge, Face ID debuted last year on the high-end iPhone X, and works by mapping a user’s face with over 30,000 infrared dots. As the original Face ID didn’t perform as well in brighter conditions than it did in the dark, the tech publication wrote that the addition of a flood illuminator to reduce noise from external light could be very beneficial to device owners, especially since Apple appears committed to keeping its facial recognition technology around as a primary selling feature of the iPhone.

iPhone XI could have improved Face ID https://t.co/nibvhF1fpn

— Mobiles App Stores (@MobilesAppStore) November 4, 2018

In addition to upgraded Face ID for the 2019 iPhones, Apple is also expected to debut a range sensor and a Time of Flight (ToF) 3D camera for the iPad line within the next two years. According to Kuo, this could allow iPad users to capture 3D images on their devices, then using the Apple Pencil on the iPad to work out the kinks of 3D images, with the feature also coming in handy when creating augmented reality experiences. While there’s a chance the ToF camera will debut on next year’s iPads, Kuo stressed that it likely won’t be until 2020 when the feature debuts on the iPhone.

While Kuo’s research note suggested that Apple is dedicated to upgrading the Face ID system and adding new features in time for the 2019 iPhone launch, a previous report from the Inquisitr noted that Apple’s longtime rival, Samsung, might be dropping the iris scanner when it launches the Galaxy S10 early next year. This appears to be part of Samsung’s efforts to release a flagship phone with as close to an edge-to-edge display as possible, or part of the company’s focus on the in-display fingerprint reader that will be appearing in one form or another on all three variants of the Galaxy S10.