Xiaomi's answer to Apple's Face ID emerges in render

A leaked render of Xiaomi's answer to Apple's Face ID 3D facial recognition technology. (Source: Weibo)

Xiaomi looks set to be the first Android smartphone maker to hit the market with a true 3D facial recognition system to rival Apple's Face ID. As with Apple's solution, Xiaomi has adopted a notched display and the inclusion of an array of sensor and camera technology.

by Sanjiv Sathiah, 2018/05/16

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Rapidly rising Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has been working on a bona fide 3D facial recognition system and it has surfaced for the first time in a render. Looking very similar to Apple's approach and design solution, the camera and sensors are located in an extended notch at the top of the leaked device. While Android makers have been quick to adopt an iPhone X-like notch at the top of their devices, none thus far have incorporated a Face ID-like 3D biometric authentication system as well.

From left-to-right, the components appear to be an infrared sensor, a regular selfie camera, a speaker grill, microphones, a dot-projector and flood illuminator. Ambient light sensors and a proximity sensor are also likely to be present. In other words, basically every component that comprises Apple's patented Face ID technology. While Apple is likely to tolerate the plethora of Android notch-alike's out there, it will be interesting to see if it will leave Xiaomi unchallenged in the courts over its would-be Face ID challenger -- should it make it to America. If it is a China-only release, Xiaomi might escape Apple's wrath.

Mind you, as I have previously argued, Face ID is demonstrably inferior to Touch ID. In the instance of the iPhone X, Apple opted to go with Face ID only, abandoning fingerprint authentication altogether. It will be interesting to see if Xiaomi goes down the same path. All will be revealed soon enough, as Xiaomi's new authentication tech is expected to debut on the forthcoming Xiaomi Mi 7 due to be unveiled in the coming days.