Google Pixel 6 Pro face unlock details spotted again, now in Android 13 QPR1
One of the strangest parts of thePixel 6 Prois the long-awaited face unlock featurewe’ve heard aboutover 2022, with leaks and pieces of code buried in Android referencing the feature. Now, theAndroid 13 QPR1 betahas been released, and9to5Googlehas spotted further mentions of the feature along with an animation that shows how it’ll work when it does arrive.
The feature isn’t readily available in the new software, but it’s the most we’ve seen Google refer to face unlock in its software so far. The mentions aren’t easy to find in Android 13 QPR1, but it refers to face unlock directly. It says the feature “works best when there’s enough light, and you’re not wearing a mask or dark glasses.” It notes that regular glasses are okay, but you’ll want to wear them when setting up.
The software also includes an animation that shows a woman raising her phone to her face and moving her head up and down to test the feature. It’s believed this is the animation that it’ll use when you’re setting up face unlock on the phone.
It’s thought the Pixel 6 Pro will use its dual-pixel auto-focus features on the front camera to create depth maps of your face. That’s a feature available on the Pixel 6 Pro, but it isn’t on the standard model, and it’s important to note the code for this isn’t found on either thePixel 6or thePixel 6a. ThePixel 7 and Pixel 7 Proare both rumored to feature this, so we may see it debut on those two phones on October 6 and then roll out to the Pixel 6 Pro later.
Other tidbits suggest you’ll only be able to include one face at a time, so you won’t be able to share the feature with a partner or someone else you trust. It also says to bear in mind that the feature is less secure than “a strong pattern, PIN or password.” You’ll be able to activate the feature by picking up your phone or by tapping on the screen.
It seems more and more likely this feature is coming to the Pixel 6 Pro, but we’re likely to see it on the Pixel 7 series before. The Android 13 QPR1 stable update won’t be landing until toward the end of the year, so if it does come as part of that, it’ll be a couple of months after the Pixel 7’s launch date.
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