MacBook might get a game-changing new feature, but there is a twist

A report suggests that Apple has secured a second patent for MacBook Face ID, but whether the company will actually implement it remains unclear.

Will MacBook get a Face ID feature instead of the current Touch ID? This is what can happen. (Unsplash)

With all these leaks around the iPhone 15 coming at a fast and furious pace, MacBook owners might feel a bit sidelined considering they have not seen a major upgrade in the Apple laptops besides iterative updates such as new chipsets and OS. However, a new report has hinted that the MacBook could, in theory at least, get a game-changing new feature. The feature in question is the Face ID, something that has been rumored to be coming on MacBooks for years, but it never really did. However, there is a twist in the story, and that might dampen the happiness of all the Mac owners.

According to a report by Patently Apple, the iPhone maker has got a second patent for a way to implement Face ID on MacBook. This comes six years after Apple was awarded an initial patent for Face ID, which was even before the iPhone implemented this technology. However, and this is the kicker, despite owning a patent for so long, Apple has never added this feature to its laptops. But can things change this time?

The trouble with bringing the Face ID to MacBook

While Apple simply maintains that Touch ID serves a better purpose on MacBook as your fingers are always going to reach out to keys when you're sitting in front of the device, a 9to5Mac report believes getting the Face ID to the MacBook is tricky and the company is simply deflecting attention.

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The report highlights two fundamental problems with implementing Face ID to MacBooks. First is a software-based issue. The Face ID needs a trigger to get activated for it to be truly functional. On the iPhone, it is easy. As soon as you pick the device, Face ID gets activated and begins looking for a face to scan. However, this is harder to achieve in MacBook.

On a MacBook, one can argue that one of the triggers can simply be opening the lid, which would be fair. However, there are many occasions when the laptop lid is open and it is still sleeping. You can of course press a key, but then that makes it pointless to replace the Touch ID.

However, Apple did find a solution to this in its first patent by adding ‘scanning for faces' to Power Nap to make it always search for faces even when it is hibernating. However, it is the second problem that is the major barrier.

It is a hardware issue. The lid of the MacBook is very slim. And as such, it lacks the depth to equip Face ID within it. And as things stand, Apple has so far not found a way to circumvent this problem.

But one can definitely hope that with the second patient, maybe Apple might have a solution to this age-old problem in mind.