New iOS (13.5) Will Offer Faster Way To Unlock Your iPhone With A Face Mask
The new iOS 13.5 has been officially unveiled a while ago with many new features which are a direct result of COVID-19. It seems like the developers at Apple have been working on lots of improvements as a direct answer to the problems that iPhone and iPad users face with their devices because of the pandemic.
One of them is the constant issue of not being able to unlock your iPhone with a mask over your face. Since iPhones work on recognizing your entire face (and not your eyes only), your iPhone is unable to do that when you are wearing a face mask.
Apple Worked Jointly With Google To Develop An Exposure Notification System
However, Apple collaborated with Google on this joint project where they created an exposure notification system which now allows people to unlock their iPhones even with their masks on.
So, in iOS 13.5 (the newest version), if you swipe up once from the bottom of the screen while you are wearing a face mask, you will see the option to enter your passcode right away.
The newest version will also support Apple and Google’s exposure notification API. This means that you can use apps developed by public health agencies which send you notifications if you may have been in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Continuous Improvement Is In The Books
There are many plans for the future of smartphones, too. Apple and Google already hinted on improving the COVID-19 recognition functionality so that you can be notified that you may have been exposed to the virus even if you don’t have an exposure notification app installed on your smartphone.
All in all, the newest iOS 13.5 version is a proof that technology can help us fight or at least control our behaviour and exposure in times of a pandemic. So, we are definitely advising everyone to upgrade soon.
