✅ Pixel 4 Face ID support? (Biometric API) (UPDATE : 21/11/19)

Hi, will the current app support Face ID on the new Pixel 4? And if not, when will Face ID on Android be supported?

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There is no reason why it won’t.

I don’t think Monzo have to do much to support it. The existing fingerprint in-app to authentic is technically Android so I imagine if you have a Pixel 4 it’ll just change to whatever the default face UI is.

Monzo will have to change some basic UI elements for the custom app unlock screen and some text in settings but that’s about it.

Edit: I stand corrected! :stuck_out_tongue:

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I’m not sure this is necessarily true. On iPhones, the API used by Touch ID and Face ID is the same, so developers don’t have to do anything for their app that worked with Touch ID to work with Face ID.

On Android, I believe the API for Fingerprint and facial recognition are not the same, so Monzo would need to do some additional work to allow facial authentication. Also, since facial recognition on some Android devices isn’t as secure as Apple’s version, some developers have chosen not to support facial recognition on Android for the timebeing.

According to XDA devs the Biometric API for Android P+ includes iris, face and fingerprint recognition so if Monzo are using the standard API for for authentication on Android then I can’t see this being an issue.

And as @redshift says they might need some changes to their UI.

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I am hoping it does as i my new Pixel 4 will be delivered in the 23rd October!

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:wave: Hey! I’m Boris, and Android dev at Monzo.

We’re currently working on this, but it’s a fair amount of work and will not make it into the app before your shiny new Pixel 4s arrive. No ETA at the moment, but it is something we’re actively working on as it’s a feature we’d love to support as soon as possible!

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Thanks for the update Boris. I look forward to the announcement that it’s ready.

Great! Thank for the update.

Will revert back to the PIN for now then :smile:

This is really helpful. I asked myself the same question when I saw the omission of a fingerprint reader in the Pixel 4. I also forgot that PIN was an option :grin:.

Thanks for letting us know. Guess I’ll be going old school for a while.

FYI BBC appears to have confirmed from google that Google’s version of faceid can not detect awareness (eyes open) so your phone can be unlocked if your not looking, asleep, or dead.

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:eyes:

Pretty sure Google will bring back option present in a previous Android 10 beta which would not allow unlocking with eyes closed!

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Sure, eventually. Just thought I’d mention this as it means it may be an insecure method for many people. And google have said it won’t be available on release (eye awareness)

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i received my Pixel 4 today and have turned off Face ID on the recommendation of an article. At present there are no security options in the app, unless i am looking in the wrong place. I used to use the finger print reader to login and approve purchases.

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In these situations your fingerprint would also still scan.

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Simonb - Good point!

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Yes, unlike a fingerprint though, we all know roughly how faceid works and seems a lot of people have assumed google made the same thing.

Is there any timeline currently for when the new Android 10 biometric API will be implemented, so biometric methods other than fingerprint (eg. the Pixel 4’s face unlock) will work?

Heya @BlacklightAftermath :wave: I moved your post into this thread :blush: