Samsung had the most secure face unlock on Android, then abandoned it

Source Domain: www.makeuseof.com

Rather than type in a password or PIN countless times daily, smartphone users turn to biometrics for device unlock. Your face and fingerprint are unique to you and are generally difficult to replicate, making these kinds of biometric security both convenient and safe. However, biometric sensors aren’t all equal — some are easier to trick than others, making them less secure. Facial recognition is notoriously hard for smartphone manufacturers to implement without a dedicated depth sensor.

A single camera usually isn’t enough, which is why Apple’s camera cutout for the Face ID sensors on iPhones is shaped like an oval rather than a circle. Adding a secondary sensor, like an infrared camera, flood illuminator, dot projector, or iris scanner, can elevate a facial recognition suite’s accuracy and make it harder to thwart. This is crucial on the Android side of things, because Google splits biometric sensors into three groups: Class 1 (formerly Convenience), Class 2 (formerly Weak), and Class 3 (formerly Strong). Only a Class 3 biometric can allow access to banking and payment apps, as well as other sensitive data.

Today, the only phone brand in the U.S. with a Class 3 facial recognition system is Google Pixel. Samsung had, then removed, a Class 3 face unlock feature from Galaxy phones, and this is the reason why.